The Black Haired Hanyou
by Le-chan1
Summary: Inuyasha and the others gain a new member to their group, a Small dark Haired Hanyou child from the future. He's Inuyasha's son alright, in looks, acts, and sense, but who's the mother? Kagome or is it Kikyou?
1. Jewel Shards and the dark haired Hanyou

**A.N. Okay I do not own InuYasha, BUT Inu-Maru Does belong to me! So if you ever want to use this cuddly fur ball please ask me first! Alright, this is my lil' idea I may or may not finish this depending on if people like it or not. But updates may be late in coming. But if I don't update with in a months time, write me at bunnytsusikino@netscape.net and tell me to get my lazy ass in gear and type more. ^-^ And I will! Okay here is the fic.**

The Black Haired Hanyou 

Le-chan

          The ebony night was chilled in the mid winter season, the wind whistling through the night sky like the sullen cry of the dead. Dark clouds covered the sky blocking the moon from casting its comforting glow upon the earth.

Beneath all the chilling noise, rose the soft crunch of the snow as it was crushed beneath the weight of something. Under the foliage of night the thing tore through the snow and darkness daring anyone to try and stop him. 

          The crisp wintry air stung the small child's already wind-reddened cheeks as the snow beneath his feet burned his tender skin but his speed did not slacken in the least. Zipping through the trees and under brush of the forest he sped appearing as no more then a blur of brick red and black.

          His kimono created a rustling sound as the wind buffeted around his small stature, the wind keening in his ears even as he drew them protectively against his head. 

          His breath came out in great puffs of smoke testimony of the frigid air surrounding him. The cold air burned his lungs like the ice did his feet but like wise he all but ignored it. 

_I have to make it! I won't fail, stupid snow can't stop me! Feh! _The soft clacking of the beads around his neck stood to prove his thoughts. The maroon clay spheres with the sparsely spread white, claw like beads, bounced just beneath his haori with each bounding step he took. 

          Moonlight filtered in from behind the dark omniscient clouds lighting the path he'd taken through the forest of Inuyasha, from the old woman's hut. She would try and stop him again if he dared slow his pace by even a fraction and then this would all be for not. 

          The white light caught his hair causing it to shimmer a lazy blue, as his mother's would have done had she been able to stand in the light. Golden eyes narrowed in determination as the small hanyou picked up the smell of ancient dirt and endless time, a sent that still haunted his mother even after so many years. 

_I will save you mommy! I will!_

          Using power that far exceeded the natural limits a child his age could posses, he leaped into the dark out cropping of the stone well in the middle of the forest, quite overgrown with never dieing vines and growth. As he descended into the bone-eaters well he took one last look at his own time. 

I'll return mommy, unlike him… I'll come home… 

**********

          The air was chilled and moist from the promise of rain soon to come leaving Kagome with goose bumps running down her bare arms and legs. The group had been on the hunt for a Shikon shard she had sensed, for nearly three days now and the weariness was beginning to affect everyone.

_Geeze, you'd think he'd rest a while after fighting with that water demon but No! Stupid Inuyasha! Only thinking about that damn jewel…_ Kagome's dark eyes narrowed into a glare that she bore into Inuyasha's back. Her mind bringing up a mental image of the jewel she had shattered nearly a year ago.

_Has it really been that long? _Kagome paused in her glaring to look at her feet in thought. 

          The green forest floor slightly tinged with the frost that was enveloping the countryside as they made their way higher into the mountain range. Soon she'd have to pack winter clothes into the yellow pack on her back. The over stuffed bag bounced with each step she took reminding her of its already uncanny weight and size. 

_If I pack anymore it'll pop!_ She let out a sigh as she traipsed through the forest with a Hanyou, a perverted Monk with a deadly wind tunnel, a Demon huntress with a killer boomerang, the demon fire cat, and a child Kitsune.

Kagome smiled softly but kept her head down. 

          As strange as the group appeared and as strange as the circumstances around them, Kagome found that she had grown to love her new friends more then her old ones. And the thought of completing the search for the jewel shards left her feeling empty and somewhat scared. 

_Must be because we pretty much risk our lives for each other all the time. They've become more like an extended family … _

          Raising her eyes she found she had fallen behind a bit and was now able to see all of them before her. Her vision blurred as tears pricked the back of her eyes and she found herself unable to control her emotions and walk at the same time. 

          Slowly her feet stalled and she just stood there watching their movements, memorizing them, thinking, in just a few more months would she never see them again? Would she never be able to travel to the past and cuddle with Shippo? Never have another one on one conversation with Sango? Never see Miroku getting himself into more trouble then he's worth? 

Never see… Inuyasha… 

          She didn't notice when the first of the tears fell or when the others realized she'd stopped, all she could see was the way her life used to be, before she was dragged down the well, and realizing what she'd be missing when the adventure finally did come to a close.

He'll be gone… forever… No more, stupid girl, bitch, or even a sit… He… Inuyasha… Gone?  Kagome unconsciously gripped the front of her school uniform, her hand slightly shaking. Her heart pulled painfully at the thought of the normalcy her life would gain once that ramen gobbling, hot headed; dog demon had left her life.

Hey! Who am I kidding! That jerk will find some way to annoy me! Heck I promised I'd be by his side as long as he needed me, he won't let me back out of that promise… yeah he'll be back for me like always dragging me back to my word.  She smiled a little in the memory of his arrival to bring her back when they fought Yura of the Hair, his gold eyes ablaze with more then a little annoyance and caution. He'd changed so much over their adventures together, almost softening enough to trust her with out question. Her smile no soon touched her lips when it turned sour and sad. 

No… he wouldn't… C'mon Kagome, you know he loves Kikyo. You are just in the way… give it up girl… give him up… He told you just as much, he chose her… not you, and when the jewel is complete she'll come back and he'll ask me to leave his side… for good…

          The thought only caused more tears to fall down her now rosy cheeks. The thought of giving up almost to great to bear, but knowing that they where in love long before she was even born, hell before her great grandmother was even born, was enough to make her realize the futility in her actions to win his heart. Her own heart sank lower but happy with her own decision to stick by him until the end, Kagome returned to the real world slowly. 

When her head was once again leveled she barely bit back her startled scream when she was confronted with several pairs of eyes. 

          "Wha?!" 

          "Kagome? Are you alright Kagome?" Shippo asked while tugging on her skirt. Embarrassment quickly flooded through her system turning her face a lovely hue of red. 

My god girl! What have you been thinking?! Oh man now they're going to want to know and Inuyasha is going to make some stupid comment about my wimpy emotions… Kagome glared at that thought, the pain changing from sorrow to indignant anger. My wimpy emotions! HA! At least I know what my emotions are! That little… 

********

          At her lack of response Shippo had turned back to the others for advice. After staring dumbly for a few moments arguing silently on who was going to question the girl Inuyasha took control.

          He snorted at the others as he made his way over to Kagome stopping a few feet from her, his glare of annoyance still intact as he tried to catch her eyes. 

          "Hey! Kagome! What's wrong with you now?" His voice was sharp and condescending and seemed to snap her out of her dazed like trance, almost instantly.

There we go, wonder what's bugging her this time… 

Inuyasha could smell the salty content of her tears and felt a driving urge to comfort her but refrained from showing any feelings in front of their companions, it would only cause more problems and questions, mainly about his love life, which he had no desire to delve into at the present moment.

          Kagome's head shot up and her eyes met his with chilled precision, her dark brown eyes crystallized and hard. The look she turned on him was feral, filled with malice and rage that seemed focused solely on his cute fluffy head. 

Oh shit! I know that glare…. Hey is that fire really burning behind her or is it just me…?  

          Inuyasha swallowed the lump that swelled with in his throat as Kagome inhaled swelling her lungs to their full potential before letting loose her cry of command. 

          "Sit!"  

          Birds flew from the trees and burst into the sky like a dark cloud covering the strangled yelp that preceded the crash that had startled them from their resting place.

          The trees quivered as the tremors receded further away shedding some of their leaves allowing them to filter to the ground in low swooping arcs dancing on the air before landing calmly on the back of Inuyasha's Haori and Hakama.  

          His arms and legs spread in the classic "sit" position, his face planted firmly in the dirt, and his hands flat against the ground twitched periodically against the subduing spell the pray beads forced upon him. Inuyasha could feel the strain on his muscles and the pull upon the dreaded chain around his neck.

God damn it… stupid girl, I didn't do anything! I'm gonna get her back good… just you wait Kagome, you've had your last happy go lucky sit with me…

          Inuyasha struggled to lift his body from the ground but the rosary gleamed with power holding him captive, only enough leeway for him to pry his face from the dirt. Tilting his head back he growled low in his chest baring his right canine at the girl above him.

          "What the hell was that for you wench?!" Inuyasha screamed up at her seeing a bit of pain still with in her eyes. As he expected Kagome's shoulders hunched and she lowered her head, hands curling into tiny shaking fists at her sides. Kagome's face tinted red with her anger completely replacing the saddened look from her eyes. Inuyasha almost smiled, but held it back changing it into a smirk.

This is going to hurt…

          His ears flicked forward as she released a tiny growl from her throat causing the hairs along the back of his neck to rise and a tremor to race down his spine. He'd never admit to her how much their spats affected him, nor how he used them in order to sway her emotions more times then not.

          Inuyasha watched as her lip curled back in a snarl bearing her own teeth at him, an act so primal Inuyasha almost howled in triumph. 

          "Inuyasha…" Her voice took on a deep, earthy, tone and Inuyasha actually jumped at it, eyes slowly darkening ignoring the warning held in that tone.

          "Sit!!!!!" 

          The scream yanked him back into perspective his eyes widening in shocked anger as once again his face slammed into the sold forest floor. Dirt was shoved up his nose and into his mouth in the impact briefly reminding Inuyasha how much he hated dirt and Kaede.

          "Stupid… bitch!" Finally finding freedom from the binding spell Inuyasha leapt to his feed spitting out the dirt and glaring down on the girl below him. 

          She just stood there returning his angry scowl hands resting on her hips, her smooth pale skin a drastic contrast to the dark forest green skirt below them. Her steady glare matching his own she bit out at him taking a forceful step forward, forcing him to take a step back.

          " You deserved it, for being so mean you jerk!" 

          Inuyasha, annoyed with loosing his placement above her shot forward standing on his toes leaning down to yell right back into her face.

          "Like hell I deserved it! You're the one acting all crazy, moping and silent and then sitting me for seeing if you where alright! Feh! See if I bother talking to you again!" Inuyasha stuck his nose into the air and crossed his arms across his chest turning his back to her, slightly hurt. 

**********

          Kagome's bluster left her lungs As Inuyasha's words sank in her eyes blinking in comprehension. 

He was worried about me? Slowly she looked back at the rest of the group their small worried smiles confirming the Hanyou's innocents.

Okay, so I was wrong ... but…  Kagome's glare returned though not a vehement as before. Her eyes focused on Inuyasha's head as the dim light caused his hair to shine in a metallic beauty. 

He could have been nicer in his questioning… But that's just his way of doing things… 

          Kagome shook her head and walked up to Inuyasha placing a hand on his shoulder. She felt his shoulders stiffen after her hand had completely settled on him and cringed at her own careless words.

 I'm getting just as bad as him… 

She glanced up at his head as a soft rustling wind danced off his hair and fur on his ears. His ears twitched forward and Kagome smiled softly recalling how soft they where.

          "Inuyasha, I'm sorry… you just interrupted my train of thinking and… well I'm sorry okay?" Kagome cocked her head to the side in question and waited to his response. After a while her calm face slowly darkened her eyes alighting in vivid anger at being ignored. She had apologized, in front of everyone no less, and he ignored her.

          "Hey, Inuyasha are you-"

          "Shut up, will ya!" Inuyasha didn't even turn to face her as he snapped his order. Kagome pulled her hand from his shoulder slowly hurt at his actions and extremely embarrassed as the gaze of her friends curious eyes burned into her back painfully.

Why that little…

          "Inuyasha! What the hell are you playing at I said I was sorry! What more do you want from me! Geeze, you'd think-" Kagome's tirade was cut short as Inuyasha spun back and placed two fingers over her lips, firmly silencing her. 

          Kagome felt her cheeks redden at the feel of his callused fingers gently resting against he smooth skin. His eyes had averted back to the forest around them searching urgently. 

          "Something is out there… and I can smell demon…" His nose twitched up catching the hidden smell that drifted in on the breeze as his snowy ears flicked back in forth trying to discern a location. 

          Kagome's heart pounded in her temples and she slowly turned her head to investigate allowing Inuyasha's hand to drop back to his side. Sango and Miroku stood ready back-to-back eyes glancing about, when Kagome felt it. An ora she knew all too well enveloped her mind sending warning signs through her mind. Hurriedly she turned in the direction the ora was emitting from.

          "Inuyasha! A Jewel shard, behind you!'' Kagome's cry echoed into the wind that swept up apparently from nowhere just as a dark shape leapt from the treetops above the group.

          Inuyasha had barely turned in Kagome's direction when the dark shape brought its clawed hands back, his rust colored haori billowing in the wind around him.

          "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer!" The words rebounded in Kagome's head freezing her heart as the creature tore into Inuyasha's back, the sound of his shredding Haori haunting her memory. 

          A small yelp escaped Inuyasha's lips before he ducked back and reared around to take a swipe at his attacker. 

          The dark shadow used Inuyasha's momentum and thrust to spring upwards and spin into a flip landing in an all to familiar crouch. Kagome's eyes froze on the small demon as it slowly rose. His midnight hair billowed in the breeze a very familiar haori and hakama whipping in a low buffet around his small body.

          He stood no higher then Souta, his pale skin gleaming against his dark hair. As he turned to face Inuyasha Kagome caught sight of a small canine fang as it glinted from beneath a smirk and her heart stopped completely as the small demon flicked two perfect dog ears that rested atop of his head, silvery white near the base but as the ears extended upward the fur darkened leaving the tips as dark as his hair.

In… Inuyasha? He looks… just like… Inuyasha… Right down to his gold eyes…

          Those same golden eyes met with Inuyasha's as the small child stared up at the much taller Hanyou.

          "So you're the ones with the other Jewel shards." 

Who… is he?

**A.N. Well there is chapter one. Review if you think I should keep going. This story should be 16 chapters plus an epilogue but… who knows I may give up on this. ^-^ Well, ciao!**

**Le-chan**


	2. Chapter 2: The child from the future the...

**A.N. Wow, I got 21 reviews within 24 hours of posting chapter one… ^-^ Well I have been given hope! Well before I give my thanks I wanted to let you know I have posted my fanart of Inumaru and Inuyasha ect. At this location: www.le-chan.deviantart.com.**

          Under my most recent admission (Which was a request from my friend and turned out really crappy) there should be links to my other pics. ^-^ So if you want to see what Inumaru looks like go there, also under the pics is a link saying Gallery if you click that you can find a picture of Inumaru as a baby… ^-^. Alright here is my special thanks to those who reviewed with in the first day of my posting: Atomic puppy, Moon Baby, Cheryblosom, Del_Kaidin, Reggie, Moon_-_Gazer, Seunglee, Lovely Kitten, Kaye, Kizzna, MaRia, KALTH1389, Fire ^-^ Wolves, Nykimstar, Wander, Jess, BlueSkywalker_2000, CinderEly, Raven Shadow, Star Angel, and Deadly Rose. And A Very special thanks to those whom wanted chapter two so bad I was threatened by Cows and Fire wolves! ^-^ Thanks Fire ^-^ wolves, and ruler of the cows! ^-^ Now On with chapter 2!

The Black Haired Hanyou

Chapter 2

          The wind blew by softly, if a bit chilly, evicting goose bumps upon Kagome's legs as the hair on her arms rose. Time seemed to have frozen in place as the small Hanyou child faced off against Inuyasha.

          Kagome's heart was racing with in her chest battering against her ribs as the dark haired boy spoke. His voice was slightly gruff and scratchy but still high in pitch and frequency. His words and knowledge of the shikon jewel shards hardly standing out in her mind.

_It's like I'm staring at a little Inuyasha… _

          The boy flicked his ears forward as he turned to completely face the older hanyou. His smirk remained intact as he lifted his right hand up and cracked his knuckles several times as he flexed his fingers. The move was all too familiar for Kagome. 

          "Keh! You seem very confident brat!" Inuyasha's deep scratchy voice brought Kagome back into reality as he rested his hand upon Tetsuiga's hilt. Somehow the thought of Inuyasha inflicting bodily harm upon the child sent a cold chill up her spine. Turning she looked for the other's reactions and any help they could provide. 

          Sango had slid into a protective fighting stance right hand holding the straps of Hiraikotsu in case she had to assist Inuyasha in his battle. The grass and dirt crunched beneath her feet as she tensed her muscles in preparation. She was not going to let his innocent appearance fool her, he was a demon and from the looks of it one not to be trusted. 

          Sango was obviously no help to Kagome's mind and Miroku was standing holding his staff looking about as bright as a black light bulb. His eyes were thoughtful and steady but his expression clearly stated his confusion on the whole issue. And Shippou was seated on Kirara asking a million questions at once hoping to ease some of the tension and confusion.

            "But-but how does he know Inuyasha's attack… and how does he know we have the jewel shards? Maybe he's from Naraku!" Shippou grabbed his head in his horrified confusion and cried. "Oh no, Naraku has invented a smaller and smarter version of Inuyasha!" The small Kitsune's voice rose into a high pitched squeal as he grasped his head between his hands and squeezed his eyes shut as if by the pressure alone he could banish the cruel thoughts and images rushing through his mind.

          Kagome's mouth tilted up into an undecided smile as a small giggle escaped her lips. 

_Not much help there… What can I do? _

          "Oi, Shippou!" Inuyasha called out to the smaller demon holding out the first part of his name almost like a wine. His voice was dangerously calm and low, his eyes reflected his annoyance. 

          Inuyasha glared at the kit from over his shoulder, snarling in an attempt to terrify and warn the small fox demon of the beating he would soon receive.

          Shippou slowly raised his head at the sound of his name and met Inuyasha's glare with a start. The danger he found there had Shippou leaping further into Kirara's fur with a terrified yelp already gripping his head in a protective manner.

          "We're done for!" 

          After Shippou had disappeared from his sight Inuyasha let out an annoyed growl. "What the hell do you mean by that you bastard?" By now he had turned completely around to bark at his insulter. His legs slightly bowed at the knees and his left arm in the air shaking at the small kit.

          Kagome sweat dropped and continued to laugh slightly at the stupidity of the moment, and its almost haunting familiarity. 

_Guess he was more help then I thought. _Slowly she turned back to face the boy now slightly content with the fact Inuyasha wasn't preparing to slaughter the boy. 

          The small child stood in the same pose Inuyasha had a tendency to, knees slightly bent almost as if crouching in preparation for an attack. His small hands tensed and hooked to fashion his deadly claws. If it wasn't for his inky black hair and the slight wave it held, he would look like Inuyasha had as a small boy. 

          Kagome's mind brought up the image of Inuyasha as a child. His sleeping form cuddled in the arms of the Mu'Onna as the dark trepid water rippled in the cold breeze distorting his small image slightly. 

_It's almost uncanny. This child… looks just like him…_

          The child in question seemed to smile almost sadly as he watched Inuyasha banter with the small Kitsune cub. Inuyasha's voice low in a growl meant to scare and intimidate. The child's arms lowered a fraction as he shook his head.

_His eyes… they're so soft… but pained… _

          Kagome felt the hairs on her neck rise up in reaction to the bolt of energy that sparked up her spine. The swelling pull of quarreling energy and youki surrounded her mind and pulled her from her thoughts. 

          Slowly the pull focused into a single point and became visible a glowing light, a light that belonged soul-ly to the Shikon No tama Shards.

_He has two… no! Three Shikon shards!_

          "Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice broke out over Inuyasha's mind and he stopped yelling at the fox boy to glance her way. He raised one dark eyebrow in her direction clearly stating: What the hell is it?

          "He has three Shikon shards in his shirt. I think they're the one's we've been tracking!" 

          Inuyasha seemed to tense, his face becoming humble as he turned back to his young opponent. His eyebrows drawing down into a confused scowl, if the brat had come for the jewel shards like all the other demons, why wouldn't he have them in his body? And if he had three, wouldn't he be a lot tougher then he was? 

          As Inuyasha's eyes refocused on the hanyou, he noticed that the kid's pallor had changed; his face drained of color his eyes wide with some kind of fear as they rested upon Kagome.  

          Inuyasha smirked with a sense of pride for Kagome, as he lifted his hand and cracked his knuckles effortlessly. 

          "Right." 

**********

          The words drifted on the air to his sensitive ears and he flipped them forward catching the familiar sound. The voice froze his movements just as her words confirmed his momentary fear. 

          He could feel the color drain from his features as slowly he turned to face the person the voice belonged to. His stomach clenched painfully with a mix of fear and tense elation. 

_It couldn't be… _

          Golden eyes paused on the woman clad in strange foreign clothes, her dark midnight hair shimmering in the sunlight dark blue highlights glinting from the lights soft caress. 

_Shit, shit, shit…. This isn't happening… I wasn't supposed to be found by __them__! _

          His little form shook as he felt warm tears prick the back of his eyes. He fiercely shoved them away scowl reappearing with Inuyasha's voice. 

_Men don't cry… They get even!_

          Inuyasha called out to the kid again his annoyance rising each time he was ignored. "Oi! Brat! What are you looking at your opponent is me!" With a deep growl Inuyasha Launched himself at the boy, swiping his clawed right hand in a side sweeping motion. His hand met resistance as he plowed into the hard soil. 

          Not even seeing Inuyasha's attack, He leaped into the air just barely missing the Hanyou's attack as he spun in an arc toward Kagome.

_Better get it quickly! No time to waist… Mommy… I have to save her! _ He watched as Kagome's eyes widened in shock, her dark brown eyes filling with slight fear that sent a sharp pain through out his chest, he hated the look of fear it only made his own fears worse. 

          But he had to get the jewel shards which hung from a vile around her neck. And if it meant scaring her to get it, he was ready to. He briefly heard the angered cry from Inuyasha as he tackled the odd woman to the forest floor, her hair splayed around her head like dark halo.

          "Kagome!" Inuyasha cried out in a painful yelp, and the child wanted nothing more than to rip him apart for it. His eyes narrowed in a painful hate as he yanked to vile from around her neck. The thin chain pulling taunt before snapping in two and freeing the small glass container into his hand.

          He clasped the vile tightly in his left hand and looked once more into Kagome's startled eyes before bolting off and into the forest. He could hear Inuyasha run over to the girl and hurriedly ask if she was alright. The fake worry he heard in Inuyasha's voice made his stomach turn.

_As if you really care! Feh! All you care about is your self and you god damned Jewel. But you'll never get it! Not as long as I'm here._ An almost sadistic smile curved the young child's lips as the wind whistled through his hair and yanked at his Kimono as gently as a mother's caress. If he could get away from them he stood a chance at surviving. And then after he found the rest of those dumb shards he'd get the half formed crystal from Naraku.

          He'd heard stories of Naraku's demise and of the jewels disappearance after it had been completely purified by a wish. One made to make a demon, human. He knew it'd be hard, considering he knew little to nothing about Naraku but he would not fail. He could not fail.

**********

          Inuyasha felt his heart hammering in his chest beating painfully fast even as he sped through the foliage. The leaves rustled and bounced off him in his haste as twigs snapped and yanked at his hair and body.

_That was too damn close. Stupid brat and I couldn't…_ Inuyasha released yet another angered growl and leaped above the trees following the odd sent of the boy he chased. 

          "Stupid little, runt! Can't believe he got his grubby little hands on the shards! Little wuss probably stole the first three the same way he got ours!" Inuyasha cursed under his breath for letting his guard down around the pest. Kagome had almost gotten hurt. And like so many times before he had been powerless to do much more then watch. 

_If the kid had wanted to he could have… _ Inuyasha shook his head almost violently against the thought refusing to finish it. But no matter how hard he pressed, the image of her as the pup pinned her to the floor wouldn't leave his mind. It had been burnt into his mind forever just like all the other times he'd failed to be there.

_Never again, Never!_

          Even as he thought this he new it was a lie. A lie he repeatedly regretted but knew would never change.  

          Inuyasha landed silently in a tree and caught sight of his target as the boy ran right under the tall oak, pausing to regain some of his lost breath. 

_Ha! There you are you tiny bastard…_ Inuyasha's lip curled up into a dreadful snarling grin as once again he cracked his claws I preparation. _I'm gonna show you what you get for daring to touch Kagome!_

          The child slumped against the tree heaving, dragging in big gulps of air through his open mouth holding the treasure close to his chest feeling his rapped heart beat against it. The child almost looked innocent and small, Inuyasha's mind dredged up the child's near deadly leap and his eyes hardened. 

_Almost… but not quite enough. _

          Inuyasha's muscles clenched and his senses heightened so much that he could smell the sweat on the small child hear his strained breath, even feel his claming fear. 

_Ready or not, here I come!_

          The wind sounded briefly in his ears as he bend his elbows into a ninety degree angle extending one foot to land on the hard, solid, forest floor with barely a sound. He felt the leaves crumble and crunch beneath his feet as he bent his knees allowing his weight to be evenly cushioned to avoid injury. He stayed in a slight crouch claws and fingers arced at his ribcage, a feral grin on his face. Inuyasha felt a bit of self pride as the small hanyou turned almost instantly at the sound behind him. Being only half demon didn't mean that they where any slower then a full demon. Shippou wouldn't have noticed him until he'd landed fully on the forest floor. 

          The child jumped back slightly and pulled the shards closer to his body, a small growl escaping the boy's lips, his small ears stiff and laid back against his head in an attempt to look fierce. The act so similar to Shippou Inuyasha felt a pang of reproach. Even if he could have injured Kagome, the pup hadn't, and in that lay the truth. 

_Feh, he's just a whelp! Probably couldn't hurt any of us he tried…_ Inuyasha lowered his arms then readjusted them across his chest standing fully before the kid. 

          "Oi, Brat!" Inuyasha's statement caused the boy to jump and move a fraction of a step backward. The action should have made Inuyasha happy that the kid feared him, but the action only annoyed him further. "What lost your guts back there? What happened to you're big and fancy bravery? Or was it all false to begin with?" 

          The child's golden eyes flared dangerously and his whole body trembled with his anger but he didn't speak, neither confirming nor denying Inuyasha's accusations. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the child before sighing and closing his eyes all together. Un bidden memories of a small scared child running through the forest as older demons hunted him down for being a half-breed replayed behind his closed eyes. He could still feel the sting of the sharp stones and icy water. 

_I'm going soft…_

          Inuyasha reopened his eyes to face the child as the dark haired brat inched his way back toward the coverage of the surrounding trees. 

          "Why do you want the jewel?" Inuyasha's voice was calm and compassionate, a tone of deep and painful understanding that shocked even himself. The child paused and continued to glare at him, his compassion seeming to only anger the child more. "Do you want to become a full demon with it?" 

          The boy threw his head back in a cruel heartbreaking laugh at Inuyasha's words. Inuyasha unfolded his arms slightly shocked by the child's mood swings. 

          "Now, why the fuck would I want to do that?" The boy said after he'd regained some control over his laughter. At his words a cold lump began to form with in Inuyasha's gut filling him with a weird sense of dread. 

_What the hell is wrong with this brat? If he doesn't want to become… then why…?_

          "Then why do you want the jewel punk?" Once again Inuyasha's question only made the boy laugh more.

          "Why the fuck should I tell you?" His little voice rose to a slight squeak as his laughter dropped down and he continued to glare with that painful hatred. One Inuyasha recognized all to well as the pain of betrayal.  

          "Look punk, you can either tell me your reason's and give me the jewel shards, or I can pound it out of you one way or another." Inuyasha stated almost conceitedly. 

          "I'll never return the shards to _you!" With that the child leaped into the air and drove his claws deep into Inuyasha's exposed neck and collar bone. Inuyasha felt the searing pain but Ignored it almost instantly, he was use to far more pain then that, but still as insignificant as the pain was, the fact the kid had attacked him after he'd tried to be nice severely pissed him off!_

          "Gah, you fucking little bastard!" He raised a hand to his bleeding chest and turned around to the fleeing child, and with little effort tackled him to the forest floor. The child wiggled and cursed vehemently under Inuyasha's weight, his futile actions raising a smile of condescending pride to Inuyasha's lips.

          "Oi, not so very proud now are you?" 

          "You … big, stupid-no good- fat-"

          Inuyasha's eyes widened and his lower eyelid began to twitch. His silence was unnoticed by the struggling pup beneath him.

          "Oi." At his low tone the child stopped struggling as he turned to look at the much bigger and stronger Hanyou. His eyes remained in a scowl and he gathered his courage to bark back a nasty, "What?!" 

          Inuyasha lowered himself down to glare strait into the kid's face, "What do you mean fat?"  Inuyasha's underlining threat was obviously ignored as the kid rolled his bright eyes at him.

          "Exactly what I said you big, fat, stupid-" The rest of his sentence was cut short by his pain filled yelp as Inuyasha continued to rain punches upon his small little head.

          It was then that Kagome burst through the undergrowth with Sango and Shippou all upon Kirara, Miroku not far behind. Kagome stopped short at the scene and took only a moment before running up to Inuyasha yelling at him to stop. 

          Sango on the other hand merely sat there in a stunned silence watching as the fight continued on as Kagome kept crying out for Inuyasha to knock it off. Miroku stepped up beside Kirara and shook his head.

          "Well, looks like he didn't need our help after all." 

          "I guess… not…" Sango replied still rather shocked at Inuyasha's odd behavior. Though she knew she shouldn't be surprised after all that they've been through together, still her half demon friend managed to shock her.

          "I feel kinda sorry for the kid…" Shippou said absent mindedly0i rubbing his head, face scrunching up into a painful scowl. Miroku chuckled light heartedly at Shippou's obvious knowledge on how hard Inuyasha could punch. And Sango affectionately patted the kits head in understanding.

          Inuyasha dealt another six punches to the kids head before finally pausing. He didn't want Kagome to be upset, but he wasn't about to let her think he stopped because she told him to. 

          "Feh, I was just letting him know who was-" Inuyasha never finished his sentence as two tiny fangs lodged themselves deep into his hand. 

**********

As soon as the weight lifted from his body he leaped into the air flipping into a crouch and pocketing the jewel shards safely into his front shirt and into the hidden pocket his mother had sewn into his front lapel while she had created his fire rat Kimono. 

He spit out the rust in his mouth turned to face the group, silently thanking Kagome for her aid, and apologizing for being so bad. He could feel the coolness of the clay beads against his collar bone and prayed that he could escape in time. 

"Alright! That's it, you little bitch!" Inuyasha snarled out of insults shaking his hands free of blood as he carefully positioned himself between Kagome and his opponent. 

          His golden eyes narrowed at Inuyasha and released a growl. Deciding to face the man before him instead of his better judgment to escape.

_You fucking bastard, don't you dare pretend to care… don't you dare!_

          "Inuyasha, don't-" Inuyasha ignored Kagome's cry and charged at the boy. He was prepared and narrowly missed Inuyasha's Iron claws, the attack leaving deep gouges into the forest floor. 

          He could feel his body quake with a fear so great he wanted to return to the well and to his mothers waiting arms, but his mission held him firm. 

_No one else will help mommy, it's up to me alone…_

          Dodging and swiping at each other the two leaped around the clearing Inuyasha and him both ignoring Kagome's frantic yelling as finally her patients wore out, and anger distorted her features her hands clenching at her sides arms shaking.

          Inuyasha rebounded off a tree at the same time he did, both flying at each other in mid air. He could feel the force of the wind lift his dark hair even as his feet left the rough surface of the tree diagonal from Inuyasha's rebound point.

_Here's the last shot… nail his face and bolt… I should be safe if I can make it to the well…_

          "SIT!" Kagome's enraged voice bellowed across the battle zone and with it a warm glow from around his neck, as a pressure far grater then the gravity below him slammed into his back and plowed him into the earth. Shock took over his body like a cold river.

_No way… is this what… she meant?_

**********

Kagome was surprised as she watched not only Inuyasha but the child as well fall strait into the earth. Their positions so similar it gave her goose bumps. She blinked several times slowly registering on the implications. 

_No… way…_

          She turned back and met Sango's eyes silently asking her best friend what had happened, the demon exterminator merely shook her head just as confused as she was. 

          Kagome turned back to the scene before her and raised a bent finger to her lower lip. 

_What the hell is going on? _

          Inuyasha's grumbling could be heard as he lifted his face from the ground and shook his head to clear it before turning on her his anger evident. She was expecting the round of curses bound to come next and didn't quite pay attention as she focused on the still form of the child.

          He lay motionless, His dark hair spread around his small form his ears limp against the dirt of the ground and Kagome felt her chest tighten at the thoughts racing through her mind.

_Oh, my god… did I kill him?!_

          "Kagome! What-" Inuyasha's throaty growl was interrupted as the child leaped to his feet hands reaching beneath his shirt and pulling out an oversized prayer bead necklace and looking at it as if it had just spoken to him about the end of the world.

          "God Damnit!" 

          Kagome nearly fell over at the child's cross language, he couldn't be much older then Souta. If he was even that old. And yet he cussed like an aged sailor.

_More like Inuyasha…_ Her eyes widened as she took a closer look at the beads in his hands.

_There's no… way…_

Inuyasha swung his head around to look at the boy who held _his prayer beads in those tiny hands. _

          "God damn her! Stupid Grandma-Kaede! That's what she meant!" His little temper tantrum was put on hold as he swung back and pointed an accusing finger at Inuyasha, his whole body convulsing as he yelled, "It's all your fault!" 

          A stoic wind blew through the trees, keening in the quite taboo as the entire group stared on in wonder Miroku's voice slowly rising in a question above the wind, "Grandma-Kaede?"

**********

          The fire crackled and popped in front of him warming his chilled skin as it reflected with in his eyes. The room was familiar and calming as were most of the occupants in the room with him though he wished they weren't. Slowly he gazed about Kaede's hut glancing at each person in the room. The old woman was tending a fire to and next to her was Kagome, she was seated closest to him smiling reassuringly at him. Her face so much like his mother's he wanted to cry. But it would do him no good to break down, and he wouldn't give the ass in the corner any satisfaction. Miroku and Sango, with Kirara in her lap sat directly across from him, the firelight reflecting off of their features making him feel more at ease with just their familiar presence. Shippou was happily seated next to him between himself and Inuyasha. Briefly he looked up at the Hanyou and growled. 

_I wish he'd just leave… it's not like he cares! He didn't care about me or mommy… so defiantly not Kagome either… all he cares about is his god damned self…_

          Kagome set a soothing hand on his knee urging him to answer their earlier questions. He sighed relaxing under her touch.

          "My names, Inumaru… and I'm from eight years in the future." A titter went up around the room as Inumaru gave them this bit of information. Inuyasha made a grunting noise before mocking him.

          "So I'm guessing the Jewel's no longer around huh? So you had to come back here to get it?" Inumaru stuck his nose in the air away from him with a snort. 

          "So what of it?" 

          "Inuyasha, let him speak." Kagome interjected with a light hand on Inumaru's shoulder. 

          "Feh!" 

          Kagome smiled in an understanding way at the irate hanyou and turned back to Inumaru, "Go ahead now..." He smiled back at her before focusing his eyes on his hands in his lap. His little hands pale against the dark red fabric of his haiori.

          "My mother's… very ill." His voice was soft and quiet and he refused to look up at anyone the pain too new still. Inumaru didn't notice Inuyasha's ears flip at the revelation or the soft look in his eyes as he opened them only to stair out the window. 

          "And grandma-Kaede, has no way to help her…" He paused when his voice broke and he struggled to fight back the tears.

_I won't let min see me cry! I won't!_

          "So… you came here hoping that the Jewel could save you mother."  Kagome said. It hadn't been a question but he nodded in answer any way. "Yes, My … _Father_ left and didn't come back…" The way he spat out the name father made Inuyasha turn to face Inumaru only to have the death glare shot his way by the child. He raised in eyebrow in his direction. But Inumaru turned away quickly.

          "Well, that's all good but… why do you have the rosary?" Miroku asked, always the word of reason when the matter didn't revolve around women. Inumaru scowled and looked back down at his fists. 

          "In order to make it to this time… I needed something from it… something that was in use." 

          Kaede picked up on his words quickly and looked strait at him, her voice drawing his eyes from his folded hands. "But I made but one rosary such as that, and it belongs to Inuyasha." Her unspoken question hung heavy in the air. How did you get it? Was the words she meant and he knew every one else knew it to. 

_I was hoping you wouldn't ask… but it's no shock, I knew when I disobeyed her she was going to come back and bite me in the ass for it! _

          His mind slowly brought up the evening of his escape, as he ran through the ice and snow to the old lady's hut gripping the gently clacking prayer beads in his hands. 

_She tried to warn me but I wouldn't listen… _Inumaru raised his left hand up to gently play with the beads a tired look in his eyes. 

          "Only my father's prayer beads where left from this time." Inumaru rolled the large maroon beads in his hands. 

_I should just get rid of them… _ He thought savagely but something inside him wouldn't let him throw them away. Some small part of him that cried out for his father even as his aching heart wanted to rip him to pieces.

          "WHAT!!!!????" Inumaru's eyes bugged at the chorus of shocked screams, he folded his ears protectively against his head and cringed. Opening one eye he saw Kagome rearing back with her arm up in protection, Sango had gone red and Shippou just about lost his jaw. Kaede, he'd never seen the old lady look so funny, her eye looked about ready to pop out of her head.

          Inumaru felt a smile tug on his lips, only Miroku seemed semi normal only a bit startled, but then again nothing really surprised that man. 

          Inumaru lifted his hand up to cover his mouth when a loud thud told him of Inuyasha's presence. Before he could turn, Inuyasha had hauled him up none to gently by the front of his haiori until he was eye level with him, his eyes where so angry that Inumaru cringed slightly in alarm. 

          "There is no fucking way you're my pup! You got that?!" Inuyasha's voice echoed in the small room his hands gripping the fabric tighter in his hands.

_So he never really wanted me at all… figures… _The thought hurt all the same. Inumaru stuck is nose in the air and closed his eyes so that Inuyasha couldn't see the hurt he'd caused. Worse then his truth, Inumaru knew that Inuyasha's fake pity would hurt worse.

          "Inuyasha!" Kagome cried getting to her feet after her momentary shock, knowing full well that his words would inadvertently hurt even if Inuyasha hadn't meant it to.

          "Feh! I know, it's depressing!" Inumaru's voice was flat and Kagome stopped her hand mere inches from them both. Inuyasha looked slightly confused and Inumaru opened his eyes anger burning in his golden orbs. 

          "And mom made you sound so strong! Feh!" 

          Inuyasha gapped at him for a moment more before emitting a low growl in his throat, that Inumaru returned fully, his more like a childish imitation of Inuyasha's, almost like Inumaru had practiced it. 

**********

          Kagome stepped closer as they continued to growl. "Stop it!" She was all but ignored by them and her temper began to flare. She'd been moody all day and this new turn of events was not helping at all.

          "It's best to leave them alone, Kagome." Miroku said from his position next to Sango. Kagome looked over her shoulder at him then at Sango. Sango Nodded her head in agreement.

_I can't just let them tear each other apart! _ Glancing at the child dangling off the floor. She felt drawn to protect him, though she couldn't place why.

_He's like Shippou and Souta… _ Kagome reasoned and then set her feet shoulder with apart. 

          "Knock it off!" When they still ignored her she brought out the big guns.

          "Sit!" They both hit the floor with a strangled cry. Dust filtered down that had been knocked loose by their collision with the floor.

          "Damn it Kagome! What the hell was that for bitch!" Kagome ignored Inuyasha's banter as she watched Inumaru lift himself up with difficulty. His golden eyes filled with hurt as he rubbed his sore nose. 

_He is Inuyasha's son… I know he is… somehow I just do…_ Kagome pondered taking in Inumaru's appearance for the third time that day. Everything about him right down to his cloths was like Inuyasha except…

_His hair.__ It's black… just like Kikyou's… A sharp pain lanced up her spine as well as a cold dread. But she pushed it aside and kneeled down in front of Inumaru brushing his bangs aside with a gentle hand. _

          "You okay?" 

          He jerked his eyes to her own. The golden sphere's widening at her and he nodded his head slowly. "I'm sorry, if I hurt you." 

          Once again Inumaru shook his head as he sat up next to Kagome a blush staining his cheeks.

          "N-no… I'm okay." 

          Kagome smiled and sat next to him. "Good."

**********

          He couldn't believe it. He couldn't fucking believe it! She had apologized to that brat! Inuyasha sat gaping at the scene before him. Kagome was being so considerate to the punk that had moments before been after her jewel shards. 

_Bitch! _

Inuyasha pouted and sat still next to her turning his nose up and away from her hoping to gain her attention. It didn't work. He looked back at them and noticed the way the kid was blushing and saw red. 

_What is he blushing for?! Grrr… stupid punk! _ He turned away from the scene not wanting to be sat again and refusing to admit that he was jealous of a pup. His no less. He could tell it was his own pup, his own scent was heavily laden with in Inumaru. But the mother's sent was odd, slightly distorted by whatever illness plagued her and that was enough to make it nearly impossible to decipher it. Even thought he knew with out a doubt it was his, the concept of being a father was still too hard to grasp so he shoved it to the back of his mind to mull over later.

          "Well, then." Miroku said breaking the tense silence in the room. "Who's your mother Inumaru?" Inuyasha opened his eyes to look at the monk in surprise.

_I don't think he can read minds…_ He raised in eyebrow and looked at the kid who'd gone almost a sickly white. It was quite obvious he didn't want to share that bit of information with the rest of the group. He was saved by Sango and she interrupted.

          "It's quite obvious who the mother is." She stated looking strait at Kagome. Inuyasha's heart leaped into his throat, he himself wasn't quite sure he wanted to know who the mother was, and he was defiantly certain he didn't want to know Kagome's reaction.

          "Yeah! Look at that black hair! It's got to be Kagome!" Shippou said bouncing up and down with delight. Inuyasha felt his cheeks redden and he peeked at Kagome out of the corner of his eye. She'd gone beet red was looking at him. Both blushed deeper and turned away quickly. 

_I'm gonna kill that punk! _ Inuyasha reasoned. Yep, He most certainly didn't want to hear that.

          The whole room had gone silent for a few moments only the sounds of the night creatures out side could be heard. Inumaru had lowered his head so no one could see his face.

          "Or Kikyou…" Kaede's voice and words brought Inuyasha's head strait up. She was right it could be Kikyou's… he felt a flicker of hope but it was soon squashed when he thought of Kagome. Quickly he turned to look at her reaction. Her blush was gone and she looked strait ahead with a blank expression. 

She'd closed her self off. 

_Damn it!  _

Muttering a low curse Inuyasha crossed his arms and barked out, "He's _not _my pup!" No he defiantly hadn't wanted the options of the mother. 

Kaede looked back into the fire as did Miroku and Sango. Shippou glanced between Kagome and Inuyasha with a sad expression on his face. 

_It's__ gonna be a long night…_

          A small noise caught Inuyasha's attention and he looked up only to see Inumaru's scowling face.

          "What do you want?!" Inuyasha snapped viciously wanting nothing more then to leave the room and all the complications with in it. Inumaru just frown in response and then stuck out his tongue.

          Inuyasha started and blinked in utter confusion and surprise.

_What the hell?! _

A.N. Well here's chapter 2. Sorry for the long wait! Wow this one was long! ^-^ thank you so much for all of your reviews they really do help. The next chapters sadly get longer as they go. LOL Please tell me what you think of this chapter and PLEASE visit my page with my fan art, it ain't the best but it should give you an idea of what Inumaru looks like. Most pics are from later chapters but none of them give away the ending. ^-^ Sorry!  Till next time!

Le-chan


	3. Chapter3:Village of Memories and Dispare

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: Moonlight shadow4's Fanfic, The Mysterious Little Visitor, Is very similar to my fic but I did not know of its existence until after I had posted my first chapter and had already written up my plot line. The Main plot lines are different but there are some similarities that DJ-girly83 brought to my attention. You can find my review and its date on Moon Light Shadow4's review box and my commentary. Sorry If I have offended or have confused you. ^-^ **

**P.S. Check out Moonlight Shadow4's Fic it's good! ******

**A.N. Hi! I'm glad to be back, sorry about last time's long delay… I just got extremely lazy and the last chapter was long and tedious, to type at least. But thanks to the response I've gotten for chapter 2 I'm back much sooner then expected. Here are my thanks to the reviewers with in twenty four hours of posting: kinneko7, Setsuka S**,** KALTH1389, flarechick, **

**Thanks for reviewing, the reviews DO help! ^-^ Any way, on with the Chapter!!!!!**

**P.S. In chapter 2 when Inumaru calls her Grandma-Kaede, it is meant as he's been around her his whole life and calls her Grandma even though she isn't really his grandma considering Kikyou is Kaede's sister and Kagome isn't even related to her. ^-^ **

The Black Haired Hanyou

Chapter 3

          The sun shone down upon the land turning normally dark green fields into a lustrous plain of emerald and gold. Its light warming those it touched and bringing a smile to the faces of those who felt lost, but could find comfort in this one simple constant. That was the gift of the sun, always bringing light and life, cheer and hope to those living under its embrace. 

          A single bird flew above the land dancing in the sun's eternal glory, its feathers catching the light giving the creature a silver lining as it arced up to land on a branch of the nearest tree. The tree's branches twined together in its old age reaching up toward the sky, its wide leaves casting a green shade over the travelers whom had paused to rest beneath it.

          "Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha called out irritably as the dark haired teen lounged against the tree, face raised to the sun letting the leaves leave her face covered in dappled splotches. 

          She turned her head slowly to face him a small smile still sticking to her face not dampened any by Inuyasha's foul temper and antics. It was truly amazing sometimes how she could deal with so much crap from that hanyou and still come back. Shippou gazed at Kagome his eyes wide with respect and caring. 

_I don't see why Inuyasha's so blind? _Shippou thought as Kagome answered the aforementioned blind hanyou.  

          "What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was soft spoken with her contentment and Shippou smiled, her voice calming him. It had always soothed him, Kagome's presence and voice, so much like a mothers, Shippou found himself relying on her to be there as a mother would.

          "Why is the brat coming along?!" Inuyasha whined in an irritating manner that sent Shippou's good mood strait to hell. Sometimes he found Inuyasha almost annoying and crowding when it came to Kagome's attention, almost as if Inuyasha whined and moped about so that he could stay in her constant attention. Shippou shook his head and sighed in a very adult like manner as the so called brat looked up from his previous crouch over his 'prey'. 

          Inumaru blinked several times in Inuyasha's direction not paying much attention as the grasshopper he'd been hunting for the past hour and a half sprang away from him and into the sea of grass. 

          Kagome's sigh was slightly strained as if she had to gather her patience to retell a very over used story to a pleading child. Shippou smiled at the idea of Inuyasha as a child and his tail twitched at the image.

          The grass made a kind of swishing sound as Inumaru made his way back beside Shippou searching for his lost grasshopper half heartedly. Shippou turned his aqua eyes on the dark haired child as he approached. Inumaru returned the gaze and smiled plopping down next to him. 

          "Oi." Inumaru greeted him kindly as he wiggled about situating himself in the warm grass. Shippou smiled enjoying another child's presence and looked across the field. 

          "Tell me Inumaru." The small child turned to face Shippou and Shippou found himself looking up to meet his gaze. Even being similar in age Inumaru still towered over him but unlike his sadistic father Inumaru seemed to take neither advantage nor notice of this difference.

          "What?" 

          "Is Inuyasha, still like this in your time?" Shippou asked pensively. He knew the pain of loosing a father and didn't want to dredge up bad memories but at the same time wanted to know. Inumaru's eyes seemed to cloud over painfully and Shippou found himself stammering an apology.

          "S-sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad thoughts… I just…"

          "It's okay, Shippou." Inumaru's calm voice broke through his thoughts and Shippou looked toward him as Inumaru gazed at Kagome and Inuyasha.

          In the distance Shippou could see Inuyasha, as he bounced around Kagome on all fours, repeatedly asking the same question as she spoke to Sango; ignoring everything he said. He'd been bugging her non-stop all day, and as far as Shippou could tell it looked like he wanted to be sat. And with a single glance at Inumaru's rosary Shippou had a good idea as to why. 

          "Dad hasn't really changed all that much really…" Shippou chanced a glance at Inumaru and found his face soft, eyes almost glassy and curiously blank as if seeing a happier time. 

_Boy, do I know how that feels…_

          Shippou smiled remembering his own pa and the warm cozy home they'd shared together. The memories of his father where always warm and comforting but at the same time laced with bitter pain, Shippou was sure Inumaru's where no different. 

          "Dad, used to take me out with him to run errands that mom needed. And no matter how much he knew I was struggling… he never said a thing…" Inumaru paused smiling. Shippou was having a hard time picturing Inuyasha like that but didn't question it. 

          "Somehow he just knew I was trying to make him proud… and he'd always compliment me even if I toppled over. But…" Shippou raised an eyebrow and rocked forward to try and see Inumaru's face a bit clearer and caught his angry glare as his eyes focused on the now yelling couple not far from them as Inuyasha finally managed to ruin Kagome's mood. Shippou sighed and shook his head.

          "Inuyasha will never learn… he's always yelling at Kagome…" Shippou complained turning the other way again as Inumaru snorted.

          "Yeah, he doesn't learn… once he shoved me in a river bed full of ice cold water… it was early spring the ice had only melted a few weeks before." At Inumaru's confession Shippou gasped and turned to glare at Inuyasha as well. 

_Some father… he could have killed his pup…and he is just stupid enough to do that! Inuyasha no baka! _

          "But then again…" 

          Shippou glanced up at Inumaru and observed his twisted look of guilt and contemplation.

          "I had placed ice down his pants earlier that day…" 

          Shippou blinked. 

          "Ice?"

          Inumaru nodded his head an evil grin forming on his face, "Ice." And then Inumaru leaped up and started dancing around with his arms flailing through the air making absurd faces while trying to dislodge the pretend ice lodged somewhere in his loincloth. 

          Shippou about died. He threw his head back with a chortle of laughter grabbing his sides and rolling about in the grass, slapping a small paw onto the ground as the image refused to leave his mind. 

_They're perfect for each other!_ Shippou's mind raced as he pictured Inuyasha doing the same queer dance Inumaru had preformed while running about Kaede's hut with Inumaru trying to eat his breakfast of ramen noodles and Kagome trying to assist. Both boys continued to roll about on the ground laughing hysterically and drawing the attention of Inuyasha.

          His silver head whipped around to glare at the two pups, a low growl emitting from his chest. He had the strangest feeling they where making fun of him. 

          "Oi! Just what the hell are you laughing at?!" Inuyasha yelled to the laughing duo. Kagome looked over toward them, their heads barely visible from the forest of grass, and then back at Inuyasha with a scowl.

          "Inuyasha, don't be so grumpy, they're just having fun!" Inuyasha just rolled his eyes with a _Feh_, and turned back at the boys just in time to see Inumaru stick his tongue back out at him in a mocking manner. Inuyasha's eyes bulged as he took a step back in confusion, his lower eye lid once again twitching in annoyance. The look on his face sent Shippou rolling in laughter once more as Inumaru grinned right back and then turned to look at Shippou snickering as well.

            Inuyasha was now certain they where making fun of him. With a deep throaty growl and a well placed glare he got Shippou's attention. Shippou took one look at Inuyasha and stopped mid laugh ducking below the grass with a small yelp of fear. 

_Wow, whether or not he wants to admit or even is Inumaru's Pa, he certainly has that evil eye down pat._ Even Inumaru had stopped laughing though he remained above the line of the tall grass grinning at Inuyasha daring him to try anything.

_Oh, god please no…_

          "Pssst! Inumaru… don't!" Shippou hissed a warning to his friend but the pup was truly his father's son and ignored his friend's better judgment. Shippou placed a hand over his face knowing what was to come next. Inuyasha may not be the brightest crayon in the box but Shippou did know this simple fact, Inuyasha was a Sadist…

          Inuyasha glared at the small pup as Inumaru stuck up his nose in a superior fashion. Recognizing the dare Inuyasha glared even harder before a smile spread across his face. Inumaru raised an eyebrow at the almost crazy glint he saw in Inuyasha's eye, and then watched in horror as Inuyasha reached over toward Kagome. She was in deep conversation with Sango and neither noticed him or his hand as it lowered toward a place Miroku couldn't stay away from if his life depended on it. 

_And… a masochist._

          Inumaru glared his eyes wide as he mouthed the words, _you wouldn't! And Inuyasha mouthed right back, _just watch me punk_! _

          Miroku, who sat just behind Sango, watched Inuyasha with his eyes wide in confusion as he fallowed Inuyasha's hand with them. Inuyasha never looked down once as his hand met Kagome's backside and gave a soft squeeze. 

          Inumaru, Sango, Miroku, and Kagome just couldn't believe he'd done it, but before anyone could contemplate on the absurdity of the action's actually being Inuyasha's, Kagome had reacted.

          "SIT!" 

          Inumaru and Inuyasha both fell to the ground with a resounding thud. The bird perched in the tree above was startled into flight as a few leaves drifted down and around Inuyasha as Kagome stood above him completely ridged, arms shaking her clenched fists as she heaved angry breaths of air through her nose. 

_My, the weather is beautiful today…_ Shippou rolled on to his back and gazed at the clouds while his companion lay plastered to the floor still steaming from his sit command.

**********

          The wind drifted by in the late afternoon carrying small wisps of the cool night ahead of the travelers and they hadn't found a single shard or trace of one. They would have to stop soon for the night but no one was really too thrilled with the idea of sleeping out side in the cold the night promised. Inuyasha was still complaining about Inumaru tagging along and Kagome was still ignoring his banter after realizing Inuyasha was grinning after each of his sits. 

          Sango shook her head at the two and continued to walk a ways behind the monk as the two children darted in and out of his way playing some sort of game that involved hitting Miroku when he wasn't looking to gain points. It became clear to her that his head was worth the most as once again Shippou pummeled Miroku's head, eliciting an angry yelp from the abused monk. 

          Sango felt a smile tug at her lips as she watched them play. It was comforting, the laughter and the bickering. It was like a remedy for her soul, her new family. She was going to protect this family with her life, just as the others where prepared to do. 

          "Inuyasha! I told you, we are going to help Inumaru one way or another so just shut up! He's coming with us!" Kagome yelled, stopping completely to scream at the annoying Hanyou. Sango chuckled raising her free hand to her mouth. 

_They really are a pare. They'd make good parents, if they could ever settle down. _

          She truly hoped Kagome was the mother of the small hanyou pup. Kagome had given so much in their journeys, and most times nobody gave any notice of them. Most of the time Kagome's actions and support went all but unnoticed and in her eyes, Kagome deserved all the happiness of the world. But even so, the idea of her two best friends having a child together was still rather disturbing. 

 Her mahogany eyes glanced down as Kirara mewed up to her from the ground her head tilting to the side. Sango smiled down on her and then returned her gaze to her two best friends. 

          "Still, it's too dangerous for pups!" Inuyasha barked back getting up and into Kagome's face. Kagome stepped back her glare smoothing over in understanding for the moment waiting for him to continue.

          The noise from the aforementioned pups ceased and Sango glanced over slightly worried. She may have accepted the child from the future, for now, but she still didn't trust him completely but if Kagome was willing to trust him, then Sango was willing to make a try. After all Kagome trusted her knowing she may one day betray the whole group for the sake of her brother. 

          Inumaru sat with a pout on his face as Inuyasha kept rambling on about how many demon's there where and how Shippou at least was a full demon pup, and that wasn't saying much.

          "Hey!" Shippou jumped up onto Kagome's shoulder and pointed a tiny finger at Inuyasha, "What do you mean not saying much?!" 

          "Feh! No offence Shippou but you're still too young to be fighting the demon's you do, but you can, at least, pull your own weight, unlike-" 

          "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer!" Inumaru's claws came down across Inuyasha's back creating tiny tares in his fire rat haiori. 

          "Wagh!" Inuyasha fell forward as the smaller hanyou collided into his back sending them both back down to the ground. Inuyasha and Inumaru rolled around in the dirt for several minutes each kicking up more dust and debris as Inuyasha tried to remove the child from his back. But Inumaru seemed to have found that one single spot on the back that no matter how hard you try you just can't reach it. He had curled up into a tight ball and refused to budge.

          "Get off me!" Inuyasha growled and took another swipe at the child completely missing him yet again. "When I get my… hands.. on …" 

_That's defiantly his child alright…_ Sango smiled and shook her head while Kagome once again tried to calm the two down enough to detach them. 

          "Well, in any case we have to find a place to stay for the night." Miroku's voice drifted over Inuyasha's yelling and brought Kagome back from her useless mission. Once those two started it was better just to let them kill each other. But Sango had to give her friend credit for trying. It always seemed that Kagome tried to hold the group together, and in many ways she had succeeded. She was like the groups heart, Inuyasha, its spirit…

_And together Inuyasha and Kagome are the glue holding each of us together. _

          As Kagome approached the last of the demon exterminator's and the lecherous monk with the possessed hand, Sango noticed the weary look in her friends eyes and cringed herself also feeling the fatigue of the mornings adventures. 

          "I saw a small village not to far back, about another hours walk or so." Sango supplied, serious once again. Kagome nodded her agreement on the idea of the village personally liking the idea of a somewhat softer place to sleep. A futon wasn't exactly her soft, warm, bed but it was better than the forest floor, not that she really minded all that much.  Shippou, whom was cradled in her arms smiled brightly and nodded his hearty agreement.

          "Yeah, Miroku can see another disturbing cloud over the nicest house and perhaps we can get a nice bath and dinner!" 

          Miroku's head fell slightly at Shippou's condescending words and he closed his eyes almost painfully. "Shippou, do you have no faith in me?"

          Silence was his only answer as all three of them gave him a blank stare. Miroku raised an eyebrow and then sighed in resignation, it would do no good to try and explain himself, they knew him too well, and they wouldn't listen anyway. 

          "Alright then, we better get going if we want to make it before dark." And with a clanking of his staff he turned and promptly set off in the direction of the village.  

          "Wait, Hoshi-sama!" Sango said pausing briefly to make sure Kagome didn't mind being left behind. Kagome merely smiled and nodded her head giving Sango her permission, Sango smiled as she hurried up beside Miroku. Kagome always understood and Sango was grateful for her undaunted friendship. Sango always hated being left behind and letting that perverted monk go off ahead of the rest of them just didn't sit well with her. 

_If I'm not careful he'll be trying to con some poor girl into letting him impregnate her…_ Sango sighed as she walked along beside Miroku. For a while they continued in companionable silence both content to be with in the other's presence, until Sango felt a familiar pressure on her bottom. Briefly she wondered if severing his cursed hand from his body would solve all of their problems.

_Why can't he hold my hand or hug my shoulders?!_

          A resounding crack echoed across the expanse of land, startling whatever creatures may have been sleeping from they're dream land and set them scurrying for better cover.

_Stupid wandering hand… someone should just chop it off! _But even as her thoughts cursed him she couldn't help the small smile that rose to her face along with a blush.

          "C'mon, Inuyasha you're gonna be left behind!" Kagome's voice filtered up to her as well as Inuyasha's violent cursing and a stray comment on Kagome's stupidity that was soon fallowed by the expected sit, and a loud crunching noise. Sango didn't have to turn around to know what the crack was. 

**********

          The village was small and surrounded by rice fields on all sides. The huts where sparsely spread amongst the watery fields with the land lord's home nestled snugly in the center. Just out side of the village was a small shack no bigger than Kaede's hut, if it was even that, with dark old wood surprisingly dry as if the elements had decided to spare this lonely building. 

          For some reason he did not understand, Inumaru couldn't stop himself from glancing back in the direction of that shabby rundown shack. A small sense of dread had built itself inside of his gut and refused to leave causing his entire body to quake.

          But when he had passed it he'd smelt nothing out of the ordinary and if there had been anything out of place he had a good feeling Inuyasha or Kagome would have sensed something. But neither had even taken notice of the small thing, they both seemed to be more interested in the blatant smell of terror that emanated from the entire town as they passed them as well as there hate filled glares.

          "What's wrong with them?" Kagome hesitantly asked Sango. Her voice was slightly indignant as she watched yet another woman glare at Inuyasha with pure hatred eminent in her piercing gaze. 

"Most likely they are afraid of Inuyasha and the other's because they are demons." Sango replied almost as if she was unaffected by the whole issue as if it was an everyday occurrence, and to her it most likely was. Kagome let out an annoyed huff letting her eyes travel back to the lady glaring at Inuyasha.

Inumaru fallowed Kagome's gaze to the old woman and found that she had abandoned Inuyasha in favor of him. Her hard dark eyes burning holes strait into his own.

_What the? Why is she looking at me that way? I haven't even met this woman before? _

          Out of instinct and habit he turned to his father for help. Inuyasha walked in large strides his hair slightly swaying from the movement. His gaze was focused strait ahead ignoring the people he passed his eyes curiously closed off and cold. But what startled Inumaru was that he'd gone silent, the only noise he could hear was his father's footsteps as he ground the tiny loose pebbles into the sodden path with his large feet. 

          Soon Inumaru found him self watching Inuyasha's feet as they lifted and fell to the floor the bottoms where dirty and calloused from years of walking barefoot on the rugged terrain. Slowly Inumaru's mouth fell open in an 'o' shape, as his mind fuzzed over and the distant sound of laughter floated to his mind as he slowed to a stop.

The grassy hills where a bright green a deep contrast to his dark red clothes and he ran through the waist deep grass. Gales of laughter erupted from his lips as he took in the warmth of the sun. His mother wasn't far behind him her dark hair dancing freely on the wind, her own smile matching his as she slowly made her way to his side. 

          Inumaru didn't want her to catch him just yet, it was close to his nap time and he wasn't done playing. The wind and smells of the outside were calling to him, pulling at him to run freely through them, fearless and strong. He turned once more to smile mischievously in a way he hoped looked like his father's as he ran down the slope of the hill. He could hear his mother's worried voice but ignored it as the grass whipped at him from all angles. An odd elation filled him at disobeying his mother sort of a mix between fear and nervousness. 

          He kept running until his little legs where sore, his breath was short and ragged as he paused to rest. The soft breeze past by him and he found himself yawning into it. Perhaps it was time to go back. Turning around he found his mother no where to be seen. Slowly his smile of jubilation faded and his eyes became sullen. 

          "Momma!" His voice was carried away on the wind. Straining he tried to straiten his still folded ears, floppy and weak in his young age. But they wouldn't lift; panic began to creep up and into him, his cries turning into a panicked wail. 

          "Momma!" His little body shook as another breeze passed by and with it a familiar sent. He froze turning around in the direction of the smell and slowly teetered in that direction his small little feet sore from his day's running. Lifting his nose up he breathed in the deep sent he had placed into his mind, the sent evoking thoughts and feelings of protection and love. 

          Slowly he found a part in the grass and just above that a figure clad in a red haiori, long silver hair blowing in the wind covering his face. With renewed strength he bolted to the figure tears flowing from his eyes, "Papa!"  The figure glanced up his golden eyes confused and startled.

          "Huh? Inumaru?" His father's pants where warm as he gripped his father's leg in a tight hug fearing his hero would disappear if he dared to let go. Slowly his father knelt down to untangle Inumaru's arms from around his leg lifting the small boy up and into his arms. His father's embrace was warm and strong as Inuyasha patted his back gently.

          "Oi, where's your mother?" Inumaru didn't quite hear him as he snuggled deep into his shoulder enjoying the feeling of being safe. He listened to his father's heart beat as they began their journey back home. Sleepily he glanced up at his father's face as his thumb slipped into his mouth. 

_He's so big… will I be that big when I grow up? I hope I will…_

          "Oi! Just what are you looking at?!" 

          Inumaru blinked and glanced up at Inuyasha. He was glaring down on him looking rather annoyed. Slowly Inumaru looked back down at Inuyasha's feet then back up His cheeks a dark cherry hue. He'd been starring at Inuyasha's feet for only god knows how long. Slowly he stepped back bumping into Kagome's leg before blushing profusely.

_I'm a baka! Where the hell did that come from? _

          Inuyasha shook his head dismissing Inumaru's actions and continued on his way with Miroku fallowing at his side. A stray wind came back and blew against Inumaru's face and with it the sent from his memory. He breathed in deeply before realizing it and then snorted his father's sent back out shaking his head violently.

_He's not worth remembering! He left mommy to die! He can just rot in hell for all I care… _Inumaru blinked rapidly pushing back the moistness in his eyes and continued to fallow the others. No one took real notice of his odd behavior, merely a little piqued when he'd stopped walking to scrutinize Inuyasha's feet, but Shippou had recognized the look in his eyes and had seen his angry tears even if they had not been shed. 

          "Shippou-chan, hurry up!" Kagome called over her shoulder and Inumaru looked back at the fox kit meeting his gaze. He found him self trapped; Shippou knew as did he they would be talking later. And as much as Inumaru fear it, he also found himself feeling oddly at ease.

_Shippou-kun… I never could escape you…_ Inumaru smiled and nodded in a silent agreement. They would talk more.

**********

          The land lord was portly and rather old as he stood before the group, his salt and pepper hair neatly pulled back and into a top-not. His robes where a dark blue that hung on his slightly hunched back. From behind him a small little girl in a light pink Kimono peeked out fearfully at Inuyasha before darting her eyes to Inumaru, Shippou, and the untransformed Kirara. 

          The smell of fear made Inuyasha's stomach turn and he snorted the sent back out as his irritation rose. His crossed arms tightened to keep from lashing out or running away. He never could stand the feeling of being feared or hated for being what he was, it somehow made him feel dirty. 

_Stupid town, stupid people, stupid weather…_ Inuyasha didn't realize he'd started growling until Kagome rested her hand lightly on his arm. The action almost immediately calmed him. Turning he met her eyes finding a warmth and understanding from them that he could only find with in his group slowly he closed his eyes resting his hand on hers in gratitude allowing a small smile to grace his features. 

          From the very moment she'd met him her look had always been accepting, it had never made him feel like trash or something to be sneered at and at first her look had scared him shitless. He knew how to deal and react to the negative feelings but Kagome's kindness baffled him. He couldn't really say when he'd come to rely on her so much, after everything she's seen, knowing that his true demon form craved and enjoyed the mindless slaughter of life, hell she'd seen it, and yet she still only looked at him with kindness and understanding. She truly was his best friend.

_Kagome… Arigato…_

          "Oh, there is an ominous cloud above my estate?" The old man's tired sounding voice shook and yanked Inuyasha back to the present and the moment he returned he wished he hadn't. Miroku was at it again. Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes and felt the light squeeze of Kagome's hand on his shoulder as she giggled slightly. 

          The damned fool always found someway to con some poor idiot into letting them stay in the best rooms as kings and queens would. As nice as it was at times, Inuyasha still liked the outdoors better. 

          A small smile rose to his face, his features calm and careless as his mind brought up the feelings the night air and forests provoked with in him. It had always called to him, but he found that it was more inviting when he had a home to return to. 

          His smile once more disappeared at the reminder that he had no real place to call home, he hadn't had one since his mother passed away and his brother had thrown him out.

_Keh! What do I care, I didn't want to live with that bastard anyway! _

          Inumaru tugged on Kagome's shirt sleeve and whispered into her ear not wanting to appear rude to their host. But Inuyasha's keen ears picked up on it almost instantly. 

          "Kagome, what does Miroku mean by an ominous cloud? I don't smell anything, and the only bad feeling I've had has been the people…" Inumaru's eyes where wide and confused clearly showing how much of a child this brave little pup actually was. 

_Feh, he can't be much over six summers. _Inuyasha watched as Kagome smiled and whispered back to him. Inumaru's face a blank stare as slowly his jaw dropped open. After Kagome leaned back tilting her head in a form of question, Inumaru turned to glare at Miroku, his face scrunched up into a tiny rebellious glare, but the Pup kept him mouth shut not wanting to ruin it for everyone but not liking the lie at all. 

          Inuyasha felt a small quell of pride in his chest. The kid may be annoying and his presence bothersome, but the kid sure had guts and a mind of his own.

_And he came… all alone to save his mother…_

          Inuyasha sharply shook his head and tried to concentrate on what the fat man had been saying. He had way too much going on to worry or waist time on fatherly thoughts. 

          Miroku was just being led away to perform his exorcism by Porky-Sama, Inuyasha had missed the man's name so mentally decided to give him one. Inuyasha smiled evilly at the name and fallowed the Con artist and Porky-sama through the house. 

          It was rather big for being in such a small village. Each room was evenly sized with beautifully carved wood floors. Inuyasha had never seen the likes of it but refused to be impressed by anything that belonged to Porky-sama. The man resembled all those stereotypical type Land Lords, with his balding chrome and his flabby belly, the ease in which he ordered the servants around, and his stupid fear of loosing all that he had. No, Porky-sama was no different then the other scum who ruled over the human towns. Instead of working hard he lounged about enjoying luxuries that most didn't have. Inuyasha had only met a few good lords in his life and even they had some flaw but their dedication to their people was what earned them Inuyasha's respect, what little he gave that is. 

          Porky-sama trudged along muttering about how they had been plagued by demons for months now. His pudgy hands wringing as he spoke. Inuyasha rolled his eyes wanting nothing more then to show that man what real fear was. 

          "Once they almost killed my daughter, while I was asleep. If it wasn't for a passing monk she would have been eaten." For the first time Inuyasha noticed that Porky-sama's brat was still clinging to her father's leg. At least her fear made some sense now. Inuyasha took a half step back away from the child hoping to ease her fear just as Miroku bent down to hold the girl's hand. The girl wasn't ugly, in fact her dark blue eyes and pale skin with her deep brown hair made her a very beautiful child. But that was all she was a child.

_If Miroku asks her to bare his child I'll personally make sure he'll never get one..._

          There where very few things that caused Inuyasha's stomach to turn and Miroku's constant questioning (no matter what age), and sodomy stood high on that list. 

          "Hello, little Hime. I'm glad that you are all right." The little girl hastily nodded her head surprisingly letting him hold her hand. He'd never understand Miroku's way with people and a part of him didn't want to know. 

          Miroku flashed her his brightest smile and she smiled back. Inuyasha could feel the intense anger building behind him and slowly Inuyasha turned to see a very angry Sango and he was pretty sure that the fire flickering behind her wasn't his imagination. Quickly he turned back toward Miroku, flattening his ears to his head in hopes to disappear from the demon slayers line of sight. 

          "What's your name Hime-sama?" Inuyasha was half paying attention when something clawed at the back of his leg. Whipping around to glare at the tiny Kit clinging to his leg, he missed the girls name so once again made another name up for her. 

_I shall call her Piglet-hime._ Another grin crossed his features before he remembered that Shippou had attached himself to the back of his leg. 

          "Oi, Shippou?" Slowly the Kit raised his head to look at Inuyasha just as another weight collided into his other leg. Blinking he looked over his other shoulder to see Inumaru gripping his leg and looking back over his own shoulder. Raising an eyebrow he lifted his head so he could see what had them so riled up.

          "What the hell is…" Inuyasha stopped speaking when his eyes fell upon the two girls behind him. Both of their faces held a deadly glare that virtually dripped with venom. Inuyasha's eye twitched slightly and he looked down at the two quivering pups. 

_What the hell did Miroku say?_

          Inuyasha had a pretty good feeling that he hadn't done anything to piss off Kagome and Sango was already pissed at Miroku. So that only left the stupid Monk responsible. 

          "Well then should we continue?" Miroku said standing his laugh and posture indicating he hadn't noticed the women's looks of murderous intent. Inuyasha looked back at them from the corner of his eye, opened his mouth to ask, and then caught Kagome's attention. Her eyes seemed to glow with her fury and Inuyasha swallowed hard taking a hurried step forward. Then bolted after Miroku like all the Mikos of the world where after him to seal him back to that god awful tree.

Sometimes it was better not to ask. 

The weight on his legs let him know the two brats where still hitching a ride on the Inuyasha express and a low growl escaped his lips. "Oi, what are you doing?!" The two boys looked up and blinked at him. Shippou jumped off of him with a pout and a snort, but his pup stayed where he was and glared right back. 

"Oi, are you trying to pick a fight pup?" Inuyasha asked his voice low and menacing. Inumaru lifted an eye brow and stuck out his tongue. Inuyasha growled deeper and then took a swipe at Inumaru.

_Pup,__ or not this brat has a beating with his name on it! _

          Inumaru blinked up at him with a smirk as Kagome turned the bend and stalked right up to Inuyasha. 

_Shit, I'm in trouble._

          Quickly Inuyasha straitened up and slammed his hands over his ears holding them to his head defensively. He wasn't sure if her commanded worked or not if he didn't hear her, but it was worth a try.

          For some unknown reason, Kagome had taken a side to his pup and seemed to be very over protective of him. In a way, it was how she babied Shippou when he'd first joined the group. 

_Feh, stupid bitch… _Contrary to his thoughts; a lopsided smirk covered his face briefly.

When she was right next to him; she glanced down at Inumaru and then bent at the waist and lifted him into her arms.

          "What are you doing Inuyasha?" Her eyes where curious and calm; obviously over whatever Miroku had said before. "Miroku and Sechi-sama are most likely almost done with Miroku's "cleansing' by now and he'll probably be showing the rooms we'll be staying in." Inuyasha frowned and turned away with a huff striding down the corridor with an air of defiance.

_Damn, I was hoping to call him Porky-sama! _Inuyasha sighed and uncrossed his arms from his chest letting them hang by his sides listlessly. 

_Oh well, I still have Piglet-hime… _

**********

            Inuyasha seemed aggravated by something but Shippou couldn't place exactly what it was. After escaping near death when Miroku had stupidly mentioned how he wished he could travel with such a beautiful woman instead of the 'Umi Ushi'. Shippou cringed inwardly.

_Of all the things to call them Miroku, really, sea cows?! _

But of course; Inuyasha had been his escape goat, and was pissed about something but he seemed to get even more moody when Kagome thanked Jugon-hime for delivering the food for dinner that evening. 

_Inuyasha's weird, even for a Hanyou… _

          Shippou shook his head sadly and looked around the small village. The sun was on the horizon casting the tiny place in bright orange and red hues. Most of the Villagers where finishing up last minute chores, their shadows long and black upon the ground. 

          A cold wind blew by, cutting through Shippou's clothes like a knife and burning his sensitive nose. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself when a familiar sent hit his sore nose. Turning to the side, he smiled at the person he'd been waiting for. 

          "I was beginning to think you weren't coming, Inumaru." Shippou teased lightly enjoying the look of annoyance on the boys face. The wind picked up some of Inumaru's dark hair and twisted it around. The last fading rays of the sun's light caught on some of the strands eliciting bright hues of blue from his highlights.  

          Shippou was convinced Kagome had to be the mother. Inumaru's hair bounced with a life of its own like hers had a tendency to do. And although he'd never gotten a good look at Kikyou after her resurrection, he was sure she couldn't look that much like Kagome. 

_I know it's her… I just know it, why else would he cling to her like he does?_

Shippou purposely ignored the fact that he also clung to Kagome, but was most definitely not related to her. 

          "What did you want to talk about, Shippou?" Inumaru's voice was steady but muffled, his eyes averted to the floor while he dug a hole in the ground with his big toe. 

          Shippou looked at him almost regretting his decision to talk. The pup looked so lost and beaten Shippou almost wanted to kick him. After a long pause of silence Inumaru looked up at Shippou. 

          "Oh! Ummm…" Shippou looked around a bit trying to find something else to bring up. His eyes landed on a group of glaring villagers. "Why where you surprised at the villagers reaction?" 

_Oh, that was smooth… jeeze, I'm a baka! Baka! Baka!_ _Baka! _Shippou mentally beat himself up while closing his eyes and bowing his head. 

          "Oh. Well, I don't understand why they'd dislike us. I mean, we haven't done anything to anyone here…" Inumaru's genuinely confused tone made Shippou step back, and look at him rather shocked.

          "But, it doesn't matter, we're demons, or in yours and Inuyasha's case, Hanyou." 

          "So?" Inumaru asked raising his hands to the back of his head, cradling it as he looked up at the sky; his expression calm and soft. Shippou was left slightly awed at Inumaru's self confidence and self pride. Shippou found himself wondering exactly where he grew up that allowed him to be excepted as he was.

          "Inumaru?" Shippou asked; also gazing up at the fading light and slowly brightening stars. 

          "Hmmm?" Inumaru had turned to look at him, and watched his profile as his friend glared at the quickly darkening sky.

          "Where exactly do you live?" 

          Inumaru was silent for a long time before trying to explain his home life. 

          "Well, I live just outside of Kaede's Village by the well, the one I used to come here." 

          Shippou nodded his head listening in fascination. Inumaru paused, almost as if debating weather or not to share this piece of information. "Before mother got sick, Papa and I were working on a structure around the well. Kinda like a mini shrine?" 

          Shippou cocked his head to the side in confusion. Somehow the thought of a demon building a shrine didn't fit in his mind, but he found it was easier not to question this and nodded again telling Inumaru to continue. 

          "Yeah, we live in a home Moma and Papa built along with the villagers. It's the beginning of a shrine Papa told me about. He said that there was a shrine in the future by the God tree. The shrine would be passed on for generations until someone very special to the past would be born in it. So he wanted to build it himself, to make sure it would be there in the future." Inumaru's voice trailed off, and Shippou's eyes widened, slightly baffled.

_Inuyasha said that? Wouldn't Kagome have told him? Maybe… Kagome isn't his mother…_ Shippou looked at Inumaru closely, his eyes scrutinizing every detail of the small, dark haired boy. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't picture anyone but Kagome as the mother. But perhaps he was only being prejudice, in the fact that he liked Kagome and hated Kikyou. 

          "Is there anything else you'd like to know Shippou-kun?" Inumaru's smile and question slightly startled him, and Shippou found himself with a million questions but knew he couldn't ask a single one.

          "Uhhh…" The sun sank below the line of the horizon casting darkening hues of color into the waning sky, as darkness crept in. He turned in the direction of the home they where staying in. The air had grown more chilled with the passing of the sun, and Shippou found he could barely stand it. 

          Inumaru was discreetly taking steps in the direction of the house, and Shippou heartily agreed it was just too cold to stay out any longer. They met each other's eyes and nodded, hurriedly walking toward the warm safety of the lodging. On the way back, Shippou found a question he could ask to take his mind off of the bitter chill. 

"Inumaru?" 

          Teeth rattling in his head, the taller boy looked down at him with a 'huh?' His arms tucked safely inside his Haiori sleeves, his little toes tinged red from their abuse. 

          "How'd you get your name anyway?" Shippou asked, wondering why anyone would name their child 'dog-circle'. Inumaru smiled and laughed a little picking up the pace as the light from inside the estate grew larger.

          "My Papa and Moma named me after my Papa and my uncle." 

          Shippou lifted an eye brow confused, "Huh? Your uncle?" 

          "Uh-huh, 'Inu' from _Inu yasha and Maru from Sessho _maru."____

Shippou stopped in his tracks, jaw hitting the floor. He was named after Sesshomaru?! 

          "What?!" Shippou's out burst startled Inumaru causing the child to trip over his own feet in his haste to regard Shippou.

          The ground was hard and cold, biting into his flesh, evicting a yelp from the inu-youkai. Inumaru rubbed his cheek with the palm of his hand, his sharp clawed nails a vast contrast to his red tinged skin. A few startled tears gathered at the corner of his eyes but not enough to have them fall. 

          "Itai…" 

          Shippou didn't notice any of this, his mind too filled up with the absurd picture of Sesshomaru holding Inumaru on his shoulder a sappy grin on his face with Inuyasha beside his elder brother grinning like a lunatic his own arm draped around his brother in a companionable hug. 

          Shippou blinked repeatedly, his mind conjuring up their bizarre conversation.

          "I'm sorry for calling you a half-breed, my brother. Can you forgive my conceitedness?" Sesshoumaru said in a very un-Sesshoumaru way. 

          "Keh! Of course I will. If only you can forgive me for lopping your arm off. Hell, as a bonus, I'll forget the fact you ripped out my eye for the portal to pop's grave!" 

          As the two's laughter echoed in Shippou's head, the poor little Kitsune twitched in a state somewhere between horror and disgust. 

_No, way… _

          Shippou clenched his tiny paws into fists, and shook his head sharply tossing the laughing image of terror far into the depths of his mind. When he opened his eyes again he saw Inumaru looking at him hopping from foot to foot.

          "Are you done now? I'm freezing my ass off…" 

          It took a few moments for Inumaru's words to really sink in and Shippou nodded once again heading toward the house. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't shake the thoughts from his mind. 

          "Inumaru?" 

          The pup in question glanced from the corner of his eyes shaking in the chill air his tiny lip trembling as his jaw clattered. "huh?"

          "Have you… do you ever _see_ Sesshoumaru?" Shippou's question had Inumaru giving him a bizarre look. 

"Of course I have!" 

To Shippou's horror the image from earlier returned in full surround sound. 

_There's just no way those__ two…_

          "but… He only comes out on my birthday and sometimes on holiday's." Inumaru stated picking up speed, Shippou fallowed suit not wanting to be left behind. "But mom's always yelling at the two to behave… I don't know why she'd say that…" 

          Shippou laughed a little hysterically at Inumaru's truly confused thoughts. If only he knew the truth of it Shippou was sure Inumaru would think twice before speaking about his Uncle and father in the same sentence. 

_That's right… _

          "Uhh, Inumaru?" Once again Inumaru looked at the kit, both now running for the house. "I don't think you should mention that to Inuyasha." Inumaru snorted and turned back around.

          "I don't plan to speak to him about _anything." _

          Shippou cringed at the venom in the pup's voice. To hate one's father so much Shippou knew it had to be painful for Inumaru. He'd seen the look in his eyes when Inumaru had stared at Inuyasha's feet (he still wasn't quite sure what that was about) and the way he'd breathed his father's sent almost as if begging for its comfort. 

          The two figures entered the house appearing as nothing more then black shadows. Neither was aware of the eyes fallowing their every movement or the sadistic smirk on the pale deathlike skin. 

**********

          _"You're mother needs you to stay here with her." The tall figure said, his voice gruff from nervousness or worry, Inumaru couldn't tell._

_          "But Papa-" The silver locks of hair shifted over the man's shoulders as he shook his head at the quivering child's pleading. The dark haired boy shook, his eyes swelling with fearful tears his nose burning with the pain of loss. _

_          "Don't argue with me, Inumaru." The silver bangs hid his father's golden eyes from view, as he shifted his weight to stand. Inumaru trembled, his fang digging into his lower lip harshly. But as his hero backed away, the child felt something snap, and his crystal tears coursed down his stinging cheeks. _

_          "No!" His father tensed as he threw himself against him, the smell of the deep forest enveloping him in a sense of security his father's deep heartbeat soothed his fears as did the warmth from his body._

_          Inumaru snuggled closer to Inuyasha clenching at the fabric of his back. His father seemed to relax only slightly as Inumaru could not stop the flow of his tears. The sound of a strangled hiss loomed above him then the strong steal like grip on his small hands as his father forcefully tore Inumaru away from his self. _

_          "Papa… No please… don't go! I'll be good! I'll be stronger! Please don't leave me Papa! I need you! Please don't leave me!" Inumaru sped after the red clothed figure, but no matter how fast he ran, he could barely keep his father in his sights. _

_          His legs burned and his head spun with lack of air as he gasped between his sobs. The walls of his home faded into a dark tunnel of endless black only his father's figure could be seen. But he was so far away._

_          "Pa- Papa!" _

_          Something in the blackness wrapped itself around his ankle pushing his exhausted body to the ground. The breath left his body completely. The blood rang in his ears, leaving them feeling as if someone had filled them with water. _

_          Aside from his pain, Inumaru pushed himself up, his vision blurry and swaying as he searched out his father. Only a faint flicker of silver and red could be seen in the darkness. He reached out with a small, shaking hand, tears falling more steadily now as he wheezed out his plead, his voice no louder than a whisper. _

_          "Papa… Please…" The blackness swallowed the lone figure up leaving nothing behind for the small boy to cling to. _

_"Papa!"___

_ Again his words came out a strangled cry as the darkness took on the shape of wide tentacles all swarming and wrapping in on its self twisting painfully around Inumaru._

_          His fear began to rise within his chest as a deep laughing surrounded him, "Papa! Help me Papa!" _

_          The black tentacles wrapped around his throat ceasing his cries as the world faded away. The image of a dark haired man with blood filled eyes intruded on his mind._

_Papa… help__. _

          "Oi! You stupid brat!" 

          Inumaru's eyes snapped open as he looked around the room. The sharp corners of the wood ceiling unfamiliar and terrifying as the dream still paraded through his mind. 

          His heart was pounding in his ears and blocked out most of the sound no matter how high he raised them. 

_I can breathe… I can breathe… Papa… Moma! _ 

          Breathing deeply he caught the scent he held so dear to his heart and he felt a few tears rise to his eyes. He closed them tightly, turning into the smell and clutching to the warm body beside him, burying his sensitive nose into the scratchy fabric.

_Papa…_

          The body beside him tensed up, and with a bolt of fear, Inumaru clung more tightly to the figure. The body began to thrash about, clawing at him and trying to rip him from the person he loved so much, the only person he knew could make things better. 

          The person was yelling something but Inumaru's ears where too intent on the thrumming of his father's heartbeat to understand what was being said. As the thrashing became more hurried Inumaru's arms began to quake and two tears escaped to wet the front of the haiori he clung to. 

          "Please… Papa… don't go!" He whimpered into the shirt almost pitifully and felt the body stop moving. Slowly his panicked panting quieted, and his dream-fogged mind began to clear. 

_Where… where am I…? _ 

          He held his father close and swallowed hard. Slowly remembering the odd carved out floors, the bed sheets around him were familiar but drastically unfamiliar all at once. He shifted his head to hide his face in his father's cloths once again when his soft ear brushed against something cool and round. 

          A clacking noise was present, and Inumaru flipped his ear about causing the noise to become continuous. 

_What is that... _ 

          Backing away, he looked at the round prayer beads slightly disturbed by their presence. 

_Papa hasn't worn those since Moma and he were married so then why…?_

A low growl brought Inumaru's attention back up to the Teen he clung to. Inuyasha's glare was deathly annoyed; his arms arced away from his sides, as if Inumaru carried some terrible disease that could be spread by touch alone.  

          In that moment, Inumaru came back to his senses quickly, springing up from where he sat and scooting away from Inuyasha on his rump, his eyes wide and disgusted as he mentally kicked himself for even thinking of his father. 

          "Oi! Just what the hell are you doing here runt?!" Inuyasha snapped, less angry then before, but Inumaru saw right through his fake kindness. 

          "Nothing!" Glaring, he turned and scrambled to his feet racing for the nearest door. He could feel more tears threatening to fall and he couldn't let _him_ see them. 

_Inumaru no baka! What the hell are you doing?! You're here to save your Mother not wish papa had stayed!_

          He was thankful the big baka hadn't fallowed him as he burst out into the cold night panting in the cold air. The ground was hard against his sore feet but he didn't pay attention as he walked toward the edge of the village next to the trees. 

_Momma… I miss you… I wish you where here… _

          Inumaru let his tears fall down as he buried his face in his hands letting the wetness dribble over them to fall on the dried earth. His hiccupping sobs drowned out the sound of the other feet on the ground.

          A twig snapped behind him, and he paused his sobs, his ears twisting back. He could hear heavy breathing. Cautiously, he sniffed, ignoring the mucus that backed up into his throat with this action. The air was laced with fear and panic. Quickly, Inumaru spun around. His golden eyes growing wide with fright, as a figure dropped down its raised arm, hitting his left ear and head with the heavy tilling tool. Inumaru felt blood well up in his ear as he fell to the floor. Several more blows landed on every square inch of his body, new pain blooming along his spine and sides. 

          The sounds where muffled now, he couldn't tell how many were there, or why they were even there in the first place. Another kick to his side sent the air flying from his lungs and he curled into a ball to try and lessen the pain. A Face among the crowd, vividly clear in his frightened mind, sent his fear skyrocketing.

_Why… why are they doing this? I haven't done anything! Sechi-sama, why? _

          The pain began to ease off, as his body took on a numb sensation. His mind somewhat detached. Tears ran down his cheeks unchecked as fear swelled in his chest. He couldn't understand why they where hitting him, why he saw such hate with in their stares. 

          He felt a pressure on his ankles and wrists as an itchy binding was placed upon him, then the ground began to spin and the darkness seeped in around him like dark tentacles consumed him pulling him into its dark grasp. 

_Papa… save me papa… I'm scared… I'm really scared…_

**********

          Inuyasha stared after the pup, as he ran out of the room in annoyance. The kid was utterly infuriating, if it wasn't bad enough that he was into everything, the brat shifted moods faster than Kagome. 

          He'd woken up to a soft kicking in his lower stomach, and tossed the blankets back to see the damned pup curled up against him, kicking and punching for all he was worth.  Of course Inuyasha didn't give a rat's ass if the kid was having a nightmare or not, but the bastard had no business being in his room in the first place. 

          "Feh! Baka." Inuyasha grumbled flopping onto his other side yanking the blankets up over his shoulders in the process. Most times he'd sleep sitting up against a wall, but the night had proved to be too damn cold for even him. 

          As Inuyasha flopped his arm against his stomach, he felt a wet dampness he hadn't noticed before. With a scowl, he sat back up and looked down at his chest. His haiori was dark in two spots near the center of his stomach. 

Inuyasha's nose twitched as he smelled the fabric.  The salty tang that wafted up to his nose made him a little sorry he'd snapped at the pup. 

_He was crying… _ 

          Again, Inuyasha was reminded of how small the pup really was. When Inumaru curled into a ball, the child fit snugly in the space between rib cage and hip. His ears where still a bit floppy at the very tips as well also indicating his few years. 

          Inuyasha's heart reached out to the pup, his situation bringing back cold memories, and reminding him of his own childhood fears. 

_Keh…_

Inuyasha shoved his sentimentality into a corner of his mind, and lay back down only to stare at the ceiling blankly. Something had snapped in him when the pup and whimpered, calling him Papa. It scared Inuyasha to death. He had no idea how to be a father, he didn't even know if he wanted to be one and now this pup was here begging for one, yet shoving away at the same time, and Inuyasha wasn't sure if he should be annoyed or severely pissed off. 

_This is too much… Kagome would know what to do… why doesn't he just stay with her. _

          The instant the thought had come to him, he felt guilty, and the guilt only made him angrier. The pup hated him by day, but at night Inuyasha found the pup either sitting beside him, watching over him, or curled up next to him asleep. It was extremely unnerving, knowing that someone was watching you during your most vulnerable moments, and the fact that Inuyasha didn't even notice the pup until morning, startled him a bit. 

          After tossing a few more times, Inuyasha stood up. If he didn't find the pup, and something happened to him, Inuyasha knew Kagome would sit him until his back broke. With a snarl, he stretched out his sore muscles, and was making his way to the shoji door that connected his room to the outer hall, when his sensitive ears picked up on something just outside of the house. 

          Pausing, he swiveled his ears back. Again he heard the noise, and this time, recognized the sound for what it was; metal grazing against the paper wall of the shoji door, that lead to the court yard. 

          Stealthily, Inuyasha leaped to the rafters and narrowed his eyes, catching the faint outlines of the people outside of his room. 

_Keh, I knew something was up… they let us in too easily, after all the trouble they'd had with demons before… they set up a fucking trap…_

          Briefly, Inuyasha wondered if Inumaru was safe, but harshly shoved the caution away, more intent on making sure Kagome and the others where safe. And not for the first time, once again forgot Inumaru's age, believing the pup could fend for himself. 

_How can I warn the others with out being caught… _ 

          Inuyasha's heart beat steadily in his chest, knowing the villagers stood no real chance against three demons and three very deadly humans, but also knowing well enough, that when a group of humans feared, and believed they had to do something, they could be just as deadly. Especially when they are out to kill, and you are not. 

          With another curse Inuyasha took his course of action and sliced the doors down making sure his voice was loud enough to wake the sleeping occupants in the home.

          "Senkon Tetsu!" The paper tore away beneath his claws, the wood frame reduced to splinters with in seconds. His attack had his desired affect, scaring the villagers whom had prepared to attack him while he slept.

_Keh, as if they could have really snuck up on me! They're louder then Shippou!_

          The villagers scattered screaming a retreat load enough that, Inuyasha knew, the others would be woken up. With a smirk he leaped into the hall, and tore down in the direction he knew Kagome's room was in.

_It all makes sense now. Why Porky-sama insisted that we each have our own room… bastard!_

          Inuyasha could hear the sounds of battle all around him now, and above the noise of the town's people he recognized Kirara's growling. 

Sango and Miroku where defiantly okay, and up, if Kirara was around but he had to make sure Kagome was safe as well. 

He could rely on Kirara to put up a pretty good fight if the need arose, but Shippou was another story, sure the kit had spunk, and could be relied on to help as best he could. But the kit was still, just a kit, and when it came to Kagome's safety, Inuyasha was making no exceptions. 

          He smelt the air as he turned a corner in the dark hall. Kagome's smell was close, and scared. Picking up speed, he made his way to the room nearest to the center of the building. That was when he picked up on Kagome's voice, but just as he was preparing to slice down, yet another of Porky-sama's fancy doors, the paper was torn away by a man dressed in a dark green kimono, as he came flying through it, screaming about ghosts and curses. 

A little piqued, Inuyasha looked in through the man shaped hole, and found Shippou and Kagome. Well, technically he found Kagome and a glowing pink bubble, the glow caused by Shippou's fox fire. 

          Inuyasha coughed out a laugh, and smirked, relieved that they were both fine for the time being. 

_Feh, Guess the brat is more reliable then I thought… thank you Shippou…_

          Inuyasha smirked, knowing he'd never say those words aloud, but genuinely thankful all the same. Then he looked Kagome over, quickly smelling her for any traces of injury, before finally satisfied that she was fine, turned, grabbed her hand, and dragged her out into the hall, where he came face to face with the man who'd created the hole in the door, and several of his friends armed with pitch forks and other tools used for tilling fields. 

_This is stupid… I could kill them in a flash. _

          Sighing in irritation, not really wanting to fight a bunch of idiots, Inuyasha crouched down growling out a warning. "Oi, I'm not really in the mood to kick your asses right now. But if you don't move," Inuyasha cracked his knuckles for emphasis and smiled inwardly as they flinched backward, "I'll beat you bastards into submission." 

          The men's eyes moved frantically to one another's, trying to determine what to do, as well as regain their courage.  Inuyasha bared his teeth at them in a malicious smirk, knowing full well, just how deadly his fangs looked. 

          He was once again satisfied at their fearful gazes, but Kagome was a little less then pleased, as usual. Her hand rested on his shoulder, flexing gently to ebb some of her fear, but weather she realized it, or not, the action also relaxed his entire body; which, at the moment, wasn't the brightest thing to do. 

_Stupid wench! _

          Inuyasha growled in annoyance, but her light touch was severely distracting, and before he'd noticed, his annoyance had been replaced with a dull sense of calmness. 

_Kagome! Will you please, knock it the fuck off! _  

          His eyebrow twitched, and his smirk faded, and about that time, Kagome had decided to try and make peace. Stepping around from behind him, Kagome made her way to the men, arms raised at the elbow.

          "Why, are you doing this? We haven't done anything to you!" Her words seemed to strike a chord in the men. And Inuyasha, cut off his half complaint for Kagome to get back behind him, as he recognized the look of guilt in their eyes. 

          But as the silence stretched on, and Kagome began to relax, the man in the lead turned sharply toward Kagome and raised his 'weapon' above his head, his quickness startling a half strangled scream from Kagome.

          "It matter's not, weather you have or haven't done anything to us! You travel with demons!" 

          The hoe fell down upon Inuyasha's arm, as he stepped between the angered man and his best friend. The low growl that rumbled in Inuyasha's chest was a clear testament of his rage. 

          His senses where heightened by his adrenaline, his hatred feeding off of it nearly calling forth his sleeping demon blood, only the presence of tetsuiga, resting amiably against his hip, kept his mind in check. 

          His skin prickled at the sensation of Kagome's exhaled breath upon his neck, like her touch soothing over his blind anger, but not diminishing it. 

          "You will _not _touch her!" His voice never rose from its low growl but the men stumbled back, the same as if he had screamed it. The man with the tool was frozen for less then a split second, before recovering from his initial shock and screamed orders to attack, then met Inuyasha's fist as Inuyasha ripped the 'weapon' away from him, and used the force of the man's decent, to aid in his punch. 

          The man sailed through the air knocking several of his comrades back with him. Inuyasha hoped the man's face was bloody beyond recognition, but felt no real joy in the thought. Beating up those weaker then himself, made his stomach turn. 

          "Inuyasha! Don't kill them!" 

          Inuyasha rolled his eyes, responding with a quick, "I know, damn it!" to Kagome's worried statement, all the while beating his way back to the out side. 

**********

          The world was dark and cold, his body so sore he could hardly breathe. Each of his breaths felt like fire racing down his throat and into his lungs, piercing holes strait through the soft tissue. 

          His nose itched from the dry, old stench all around him. He recognized the smell, and forced his sore eyes to open. The world, blurry, and draped in shadow, sent a chill strait down his spine and into his gut like a giant block of ice. 

_Where… where am I? Papa… Moma…_

          A soft rustle drew his attention to the tatami mat that served as a door. The rustle was muffled and faint, and Inumaru's reaction was slowed because of his pain. Through the haze of his pain-filled world, Inumaru focused on the tatami mat. Its old disuse, making it frazzled looking, hung by a single edge, one corner completely worn away, leaving the pitiful thing crooked and unprotected from the wind. 

          It took his mind a few moments to register on the shadows with out of the shack, as a bright light ignited at the bottom of the worn door. The light created a dark smoke that Inumaru recognized, but couldn't quite place. 

          But as the light sped up ward, Inumaru was able to view the entire area of the room he was in. In fascination he realized he was in the shack just outside of the village.

          His heart sank, as tears rose to his eyes. He didn't bother to stop them, having no one there to see. He shook from his fright, knowing that the choking black cloud was going to kill him.

_Moma… I'm sorry… I … _

          He breathed in the smoke and coughed raggedly, each cough constricting his chest and causing his body to convulse with pain. The fire was spreading rapidly; he could already feel the heat creeping up his fire rat haiori. It would protect him… but not forever. His vision began to blur and the pain faded into a black void that called out to him. 

          A dark shadow fell over his prone form as his eyes slipped shut, the blackness consuming his being and stilling his heart. 

**********

          The battle seemed like it would never end. The more they defeated the more came, and when those people where knocked aside the previous ones would have recovered enough to attack again.  Kagome heaved a sigh, as she continued to block the attacks that came her way with her bow. Behind her Shippou was shooting fox fire like a mad man, but she could tell the kit was so tired he could hardly stand up strait. 

          Miroku and Sango where better off, considering they had larger weapons in which to protect and battle with. But Sango clearly couldn't through her boomerang, so was stuck behind it, uselessly blocking the attacks sent her way. And Miroku was getting tired several times Kagome had seen his right hand twitch. She was sure he was about as ready as she was, just to Kazaana the town's people. 

          Blocking another attack, but still getting struck hard in her left shoulder, Kagome stumbled back, and tripped over Shippou. Both fell to the ground rather hard, the impact sending her bow spiraling through the air, to land some distance away from her self. Kagome bit back a painful cry, rubbing her head as she sat up. 

_Now, what am I supposed to do?_  Kagome gazed after her bow longingly. _If only it where a bit closer… _

          "Gahk! Kagome! Look out!" 

          Kagome spun back around quickly her hair spreading around her face as if flying. Her brown eyes widened in fear as she saw the taller man before her. His burly arms raised high above his head holding a pitch fork. 

          His face was contorted with a type for evilness she'd only seen in enraged demons. Somehow the absurd thought reached her mind even as she closed her eyes against her oncoming doom and screamed. 

_Humans aren't all that different from demons…_

          A sickening thud snapped her eyes open. Before her stood Inuyasha his fist thrown out in his completed punch. Kagome smiled rising to her feet relieved.  

          "Thank you, Inuyasha!"

          "Watch out!" Inuyasha barked a little harsher then normal as he socked another man out, the man's shovel flying out to sink a good four inches into the soft soil, just inches from Shippou.

          "AHHHHHH! KAGOME!" Shippou screamed leaping into her arms. Kagome Caught the kit and held him close regarding him for a moment, her hand, absent mindedly stroking his back. 

          "Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice brought her mind back to the battle and she turned to face him. 

          Her breath caught in her throat at his close proximity. His golden eyes where the only thing she could clearly see. She swallowed nervously and felt her cheeks redden. The weight of his hands on her shoulders sent her heart pounding, but Kagome shoved the thoughts far from her mind, this was no time to be day dreaming. 

          "Are you alright, Kagome?" 

          She gave him a curt nod, her determination slipping back into place. "I'm alright… What about you?" She could see the dark circles on his clothing from his sweat and could tell from the rise and fall of his shoulder's and chest how tired he truly was.

_We have to get out of here..._

          Inuyasha blinked at her, his eyes and face showing his fatigue for a moment before his usual cocky attitude returned, "Feh, I'm just fine!" 

          For emphasis he shot his arm out to the side with a vengeance, his other hand resting lightly one his hip. But he was surprised when his fist actually struck something. 

          "Huh?" Inuyasha blinked several times then looked over at the fallen monk. "Miroku?" 

          "Damn it Inuyasha, I thought we where on the same side!" Miroku rubbed his cheek and stood back up. Inuyasha shrugged turning back to the brawl as Sango backed up into their circle. 

          "Great we're surrounded…" Inuyasha growled at Miroku's statement inching slightly in front of Kagome.  

_What are we going to do now… _

          Kagome squeezed Shippou in a tight hug, and the kit gratefully snuggled into her embrace. The villager's had closed in tightly around the four of them, their various objects pointed toward them. 

          It had gone silent, the night, and only Inuyasha's growling could be heard. She inched closer to him out of habit as a pathway was man. A stout man waddled toward their group, his back hunched over. His bald come gleaming under the light of the moon, as it peaked between two clouds. Kagome felt her chest tighten in realization and betrayal. 

          "Sechi-sama!" 

          His pudgy lips tilted up into a half smile. When he spoke she caught flashes of his yellow stained teeth. "Look, I have no grudge against you three. You can leave but the demon's must stay." 

          At his words Kagome felt Inuyasha flinch and his growl increased. Kagome sighed in irritation. _For gods sake!_

Inuyasha stopped growling as Kagome stepped away from him. His eyes darted to her own in shock but she didn't meet his eyes as she stalked right up to the man and the way out. 

          "K- Kagome…" The hurt she heard in his voice made her heart ache and only strengthened her resolve.

          "There's a smart girl." Sechi's breathe smelled worse then his teeth looked and Kagome scrunched her nose up in disgust. "Hand over the fox kit and I'll let you go. 

          She could feel Shippou tense as she lifted him from her body and made to pass him over to the fat, repulsive man. Shippou looked at her in fear as she lifted him passed her face, her breathy whisper ruffling his bangs. Shippou froze and relaxed as she extended Shippou to the man. 

          "Kagome-san!" Miroku gasped out loud and looked over to Sango's eyes had also gone wide with frightened confusion. But Inuyasha's head remained low, his eyes locked on the ground, his silver bangs obscuring his face from view.

          Just as Sechi's hands closed around Shippou and lowered the small boy level with his own chest, Kagome glared, "You're the real demon, bastard!"  Then she brought her fist back and struck him with all her might in his pudgy, repulsive face. Sango blinked in surprise and interest, Miroku grinned moving his staff out in front of himself and prepared to charge.

          "Shippou-chan, now!" As the fat man flew back ward his grip on Shippou loosened, allowing him to wriggle free. Using Sechi-sama as a spring he launched himself above the heads of the people and sent his Fox fire spiraling in all directions, scattering the men surrounding them.

          Sango and Miroku ran up to the kit and stood on either side of him; prepared to fight. Kagome could hear their excited chatter and smiled before hurriedly shaking her stinging fist. 

          "Ouch, ouch, ouch…" She kissed her sore knuckle and blew on it hoping to ease some of the swelling pain. 

_Damn, that hurts… how can Inuyasha stand it? Probably a demon thing…_

          "Kagome." 

          Kagome lifted her head from her wounded hand at the sound of Inuyasha's strained voice. His eyes where unusually clear and solemn, she'd only seen his eyes like that once before. And that time she'd bolted for the well; praying she was wrong, hoping that, by running away, she could stop his inevitable decision, his choice of Kikyou over her. 

          Kagome blinked averting her eyes. She didn't want to know why he was giving her that look. Why he was facing her so quietly and so intensely. Her heart was pounding in her ears, the adrenalin in her system causing her form to shake. HE never acted this way. Not when the battle was yet to be won! IF he ever acted concerned it was after it was safe. But he had acted concerned after Kohaku had slashed her arm… but that was different, right?

_Inuyasha… why?_

          "Kagome," Inuyasha reached out for her hand, gently smoothing his fingertips over her bruised knuckles, "I-" 

          A blood curdling scream rang out and Inuyasha jumped back a ways from her, his hand flying to Tetsuiaga's hilt. Whipping around, Kagome scanned the area for the person who had uttered the shrill noise. 

          Just a head of her, Kagome caught sight of a burning building, as far as she could tell, it had caught fire from Shippou's attack, and was now barely more then a charred outline.  The bright flames, and odd mix of blue and gold, licked the night sky in a type of dance. Kagome could feel the heat radiating off it from where she stood.

          Again she heard the panicked cry and her deep brown eyes landed on the child with in the burning building. The child was sobbing and shivering, her small pink kimono smudged in soot.

_Oh my god! Jugon-hime! That beam is blocking her way she's going to die!_

          "Inuyasha!" Kagome reflexively called out to him, not knowing exactly what he could possibly do, but relying on him all the same.

          "I know! I know!" Inuyasha snapped as he flew passed her, his haiori rustling in the buffet of the wind. The air wafted back to her and with it his smell, why she noticed it now was beyond her, but her heart clung to the deep earthy scent, as he leaped through the flames and disappeared into the building. Her heart tightened in her chest, she could hardly breath.

_He's going to be just fine, he's Inuyasha! _

          The noise from Miroku's and Sango's efforts to keep the mob back was every where. It surrounded Kagome, almost making her dizzy. Several of the men would break through and make there way toward Shippou, sending the kit scrambling back toward Kirara letting the demon cat transform and scared the grown men senseless. 

          The main support beam of the hut, collapsed with a shower of embers and sparks, alighting the night air with its tiny glow. The noise stilled for a moment, as Kagome lurched forward, heart in her throat. Her breaths became unstable and panicked as her mind kept replaying the collapse of the building. He never came out, Inuyasha hadn't come out. 

_Inuyasha… Inuyasha…_

          "Inuyasha!" 

          A few night birds startled into flight, dark black feathers falling down around the destroyed village, like some kind of sick irony. Tears blurred Kagome's vision; her legs seemed to move on their own as she bolted for the remains not wanting to believe that Inuyasha hadn't made it out. He'd survived having a hand plowed through his gut, he could survive this! But all the same, he was mortal.

_Inuyasha no baka! You can't die!_

          "Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Inu-"

          "What do you want wench!" Kagome stopped, just short of the houses remains. Her hand out-stretched toward it. She blinked back her tears allowing her heart to calm down. And almost broke into hysterical laughter for worrying over something so little.

          Timidly, Kagome turned around to face Inuyasha. His hair was singed in some places but it was hardly noticeable. His ears twitched up and he cocked his head to the side genuinely questioning her. His eyes where sincere and smug as he smirked in her direction, his facial expression clearly stating, "I told you so!"  

          Kagome's relief soon morphed into something much darker, as her worry turned to anger. She opened her mouth to sit him when she noticed the small child hugging his neck and quietly sobbing on his shoulder. Abruptly, she snapped her mouth closed, she could sit him after they'd left. 

_No, wait I can't. If I sit Inuyasha I'll sit Inumaru … as… _

          Kagome darted her eyes around the area nervously as she noticed, for the first time, the absent of the newest member to their traveling group.

_Where's Inumaru?!_

**********

          Inuyasha could feel the small shaking of the little girl and absentmindedly patted her back to comfort her. He hated it when girls cried. He just couldn't take it, he partially thought it was due to seeing his mother's tears but he wasn't quiet sure and didn't want to know. 

          He felt the presence of the 'fat bastard' even before he'd heard the man's movement. Inuyasha tensed expecting the worse. 

_Humans.__ Stupid creatures, can't even tell when you're helping them or not. _

          As Sechi-sama came to a halt by his side, Inuyasha turned to face him looking down his nose as the other man once had done. The man seemed as if he was going to say something, but seemed to have lost his nerve. Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk a little in triumph. 

          The man's shoulders where slumped in defeat and guilt his eyes cast to the ground as a servants would. And all his bluster was gone, and with it's absence, Inuyasha felt joy. 

_This should teach him…_

          "Here." Inuyasha lifted the girl from his chest and passed her to her father. The girl locked eyes with Inuyasha as her position changed, and griped on to his finger when he started to pull away. The action startled both men, but the girl seemed oblivious and she whispered so softly that Inuyasha could barely hear it. 

          "Thank you, onii-san." 

          Inuyasha stepped back and she released his finger to curl into her father's embrace. He blinked his gold eyes several times and wondered, not for the first time, why every human child he came in contact with, wound up calling him brother? Wouldn't they despise the thought of even being remotely related to a hanyou? 

          He shook his head, annoyed and confused, then turned his back on the people. He didn't want to look at them any more, and the smell of pity and guilt made him feel funny.

          "Wait." Sechi-sama, called out to Inuyasha but wouldn't lift his eyes from the dirt. Again that annoyed him. "I, I'm sorry for… for all of this… it's just that… Naraku warned us of a terrible beast… and we believed him." Inuyasha spun around to face the man and caught the smell of Kagome's sudden fear. He didn't blame her, the sound of that name made his very skin crawl. 

          "Did, you say Naraku?" Miroku asked and Inuyasha was glad he had, he didn't quite trust himself at the moment. Killing Naraku sounded like a great stress reliever, but he hadn't caught any trace of that bastard's scent since they'd arrived. 

          "Yes, he passed though just days after the demon tried to kill my daughter, and warned us of your coming and-" 

          "Which direction did he go?!" Inuyasha hadn't meant to bark but he was just too pissed to really care, much. The man stumbled over his words and Inuyasha had to refrain from punching the man. 

          "Inuyasha!" 

          He ignored Kagome's cry, more interested in where the sneaky bastard was then her pitiful fear, whatever it was. 

          "Inuyasha!" This time she grabbed his arm and yanked on it drawing his attention away and severely pissing him off. 

          "What?!" 

          "Where is Inumaru?" 

          Inuyasha snorted at her question and rolled his eyes hell-bent on ignoring her, when realization hit him. A cold shiver traveled down his spine and caused the fur on his ears to rise. The pup had run from his room just before the attack, he'd ran out side. 

          A ball of ice settled in his stomach and he brought in a deep breath to calm down, but his nose twitched at the smell of fear that permeated the humans surrounding him, and almost hidden beneath it was the tangy smell of copper. 

          Gold eyes locked on to the small dark eyes of Sechi-sama's, they bore into his and the stout man shook beneath his gaze. 

_He has his blood on him… He has _my _pup's blood on him!_

          Inuyasha growled low in his throat and grabbed the man by the lapels of his kimono top, lifting him into the air. The child Inuyasha had just saved was dropped to the floor, where she sat confused and startled. 

          "What did you do with that pup?!" 

          The man's eyes darted off to the side, and then quickly looked away again. Inuyasha's eyebrows knitted together, and he fallowed the man's glace. Over the horizon he could see a dark cloud moving up from the ground, the wind smelled heavily of charred wood, but the smell could easily be from the burnt hut that was behind him. 

          Looking back at the man in his hands, Inuyasha sniffed him again, catching the sent of an old musky wood mixed with incense; it made him sneeze. 

          "Where is my pup, old-man?!" 

The man's eyes shot wide open, though Inuyasha couldn't place why. Then he started babbling; his sentences broken and hurried. "I'm sorry… we didn't know… we thought… so we attacked… but we didn't know!" Inuyasha shook him sharply growling in frustration, "Spit it out!" 

"The hut… we thought… so we…. Lit it… but we didn't know!" 

"Lit what!?" Inuyasha ground his teeth together in aggravation his grip so tight on the man' clothes they shook.

"The shack, we lit the shack…" 

          Inuyasha went numb as the words began to make an eerie sort of sense.

          "You lit the shack on fire… with him in it…" 

          It became hard to breathe; a blinding pain tore through his body, igniting a fiery rage in his blood, and with it, a primal instinct so old Inuyasha couldn't begin to place it. His growl was feral as he through the bastard to the ground, his claws nicking him just under his chin.

          "You fucking bastard!" His body shook with the over whelming urge to kill the pitiful land lord before him, but he didn't slay humans, and at the moment he had to save the pup.

          Inuyasha glared a final time before pivoting, and taking off in the direction the smoke was drifting from. 

          Kagome cried out after him but her cries where left on deaf ears. Sighing in fear as well as aggravation she began to chase after him. Sango rode up beside her on Kirara, and lifted her onto the mighty beast by her right arm.

          "Let's go Kagome." 

          Kagome nodded in response, not bothering to lift her self onto Kirara fully, she'd only be getting back off in a matter of moments. 

          Miroku looked after his fleeing companions Shippou beside his leg shaking uncontrollably. The small kits tail twitching like mad, "Miroku, Inumaru… he's going to be alright… right?" His green eyes turned towards him in hope. Miroku smiled sadly down on him not quite sure himself what to say. 

          "Well, if he isn't, I am pretty sure his death will not go un-avenged." The monk purposefully glared at the towns people behind him, their actions disgusted him, but even as his stomach turned he regretfully understood their actions.

          "C'mon Shippou, lets see if we can be useful." Looking over to his left he caught sight of Kagome's discarded back pack, strode toward it and lifted it onto his back before trudging off in the directions his friends had left in. He could sense a few of the braver towns folk fallowing behind them.  

          The wind tore at Inuyasha's face and whistled in his ears, the smell of smoke and ash coated the air, and the temperature drastically increased as he moved closer. 

_Only a few more feet… hold on! C'mon, Inumaru… _

          Inuyasha growled out his fear not liking the feelings that where erupting with in him. This was too similar, to much like his own painful past. He couldn't take it, seeing it again, but this time through his pup's eyes, the intolerable hate, the unrealistic fear and pain, to real for him; too vivid.

          The sodden pathway he had traveled down to enter the village came into view, Inuyasha recognized the rise fields, quickly fallowing the path way his eyes spotted a fire rising so high he swore it would burn the moon from the sky. 

          His footsteps halted his movements when he neared. The entire 'shack', that was supposed to be their, was nothing more then a wall of endless fire. He could barely tell where the door frame was. The heat scorched his cheeks, but he found no will to block his face with his fire rat sleeve, as he would have done any other time.  

          A rush of wind from behind him brought the sent of his dearest friend, but even she couldn't speak in the view of this carnage. He felt her presence beside him, could feel her panic rise along with his own. 

          "Inu- Inuyasha…"

          He shook his head sadly, unable to look away. Even with Kagome's dulled human senses he was sure she could smell the death that surrounded the hut. 

_I failed… again… _

          Inuyasha felt numb, the sound of hurried foot falls not registering in his mind until Shippou's shrill cry and stinging teeth, as the kit bit Inuyasha's head screaming at him to save the pup that was already gone. 

_Why does he continue to hope the pup survived?! Why can't he just go away?_

          Kagome noticed Inuyasha's tense shoulders and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had to do something but what could she possibly do? 

          "My god…" Kagome turned to face Miroku. His face lit up by the fire glow. The lighting seemed too ordinary for a moment, she could almost believe the events where a nightmare. But she knew it wasn't, her yellow backpack was covered in soot. Her eyes lingered on her bag, mentally going through what was in there that could possibly help.

          "Miroku!" Kagome's burst of momentum startled Miroku causing the man to nearly topple over from his shock and the weight of her bag as she tore it from him. 

          "Ka-kagome-sama?" 

          Inuyasha, almost trance-like, turned in Kagome's direction as she tossed several items from her bag. Food stuff sailing through the air, fallowed by articles of clothing and other oddities he had no idea of what they where. Finally she pulled out one of those containers that carried her water, a smile on her face. The firelight reflected off of the water making the water look like liquid gold.

          "Yes!" Kagome smiled raising the small tubular object into the air in delight. 

_Does she think she can put out the fire with that alone?_

          Inuyasha looked back toward the fire and into its flames. The small laughter of the annoying brat that was now dead with in the hut, filtered back into is mind. 

          Inuyasha was too deep in thought to notice as Kagome dumped the water over her head soaking her cloths and hair. Tossing the empty bottle she turned toward the fiery hut, a look of determination on her face.

          "Kagome-sama?" Miroku stepped toward her arm out stretched as if to stop her. But he stood his ground not quiet sure on what she was about to attempt. 

          Sango stepped forward as well, but her eyes where more sullen, watching the back of Inuyasha's head. He must be dieing on the inside, and Sango could relate. Her heart cried out to comfort the Hanyou but knew she probably could not help. 

          "Alright!" Releasing her breath Kagome shot forward. The wind shifted passed Inuyasha's prone form and his heart stalled in his chest as he watched Kagome, arms crossed in front of her face, shoot headlong into the flames.

          "Kagome!" Inuyasha headed for the opening she'd just used but the heat pushed him back. His body shook from tension and his heart clenched tight.

          "Kagome! Kagome! Kagome!!!" Briefly he thought to use his tetsuiaga, and the Kaze no Kizu, but he ha no idea where she was, like wise with the pup, and he didn't want to chance killing his best friend. 

_Kagome! What the fuck are you doing?! Why are you being so stupidly reckless?! _

          Inuyasha choked on a growl, his heart lurching forward making his stomach twist painfully. He couldn't stand to loose her! 

          The fire raised higher, and with it a loud snapping sound. If he had to guess, he was sure the support beams where giving way, but the house still stood. 

          "Kagome!" Shippou's voice was a keening wail and reminded Inuyasha of how helpless he was at the moment. Just as he'd been when his mother had died, what he'd strived to never be again; helpless just as Shippou was. 

          "Shit!" His hands tightened into fists that shook with his emotions. 

          "Look!" Sango's exclamation brought his head back up, but he wasn't sure if it was out of astonishment or fear, but he had to know. 

          From between the flames a shadowy figure appeared, it cradled something in its arms as it ran through the fire and out through the door. Inuyasha swallowed hard his body tingling with a surge of adrenalin, as Kagome sprinted out into the open.

          "Kagome!" Inuyasha leapt forward, the heart stinging his face and hands as he wrapped his arms around the girl as she began to slump forward. She was hot to the touch but surprisingly unharmed save for a few burn marks not even strong enough to scar. Inuyasha held her tightly too him as she breathed heavily onto him, her breath both calming and angering.  

_How the hell did she do it?_

          "Oi! Kagome! What the hell-" 

          "Let me go!" Kagome shoved at his chest repeatedly, starling Inuyasha into compliance. He let her slid from his arms and to the ground. He left his right hand on her back, more for his own reassurance then for anything else. 

          "What the hell are you…" This time Inuyasha trailed off himself as Kagome laid out her cargo on the ground. Inuyasha's heart froze as his eyes scanned over the pup that lay lifelessly before him. 

_Inumaru… _

          The pup was covered in soot, his wrists and ankles raw from, what Inuyasha could assume rope. Inuyasha shook from the sight, a mix of his own child hood fear, and a rage that came from with in him, so deep he wanted to rip those humans apart. 

          The pup's face was very pale, he had a blood stain by the corner of his mouth, probably from some internal bleeding. He had so many bruises Inuyasha could not count, and his left ear hung limp and blood soaked; his eardrum was shattered.

          A new hatred for humans swelled deep with in his chest, they where no better then the demons they feared. No, they where worse, it wasn't enough to kill, no they had to beat and torture, and not only adult threats, but pups, who could hardly fend for themselves. 

          "He's not breathing…" Kagome half muttered and lifted her head from the pup's face, to lay her head on his chest. Her actions startling and weird, Inuyasha watched piqued.

          "No heartbeat…" 

_No heart beat… that means he's… dead…_

          Inuyasha made a strangled sound in the back of his throat and was about to turn away when Kagome began to hurriedly mutter to her self and rearrange Inumaru. 

          "Tilt head back to free airway… check for blockage…" At that point Kagome pushed two fingers into Inumaru's mouth. Inuyasha lifted an eye brow but didn't question her actions. Apparently happy with finding nothing she pulled back and continued to mutter.

          "Place arms above heart, near the indent of the chest… lock arms… apply pressure…" The she locked her elbows and placed her hands in a intertwined fashion on his chest then using her body weigh began to push down. 

_What is she doing… he's dead?!_

          "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15…" Then she removed her hands and placed her fingers over his nose pinching it closed, she then sealed her lips over Inumaru's. Inuyasha jumped back with a disgusted look on his face, "What the hell are you doing Kagome?!" 

          She didn't answer him, she simply pulled back swallowing a great amount of air, before again sealing the pups lips with her own. Inuyasha was a little worried with her actions, watching as she exhaled into Inumaru's open mouth, forcing his chest to expand. 

_She's breathing for him... _

          Amazed at what she was doing, Inuyasha again, made his way to her side, placing a hand on her back.

          After she was done breathing into the pup she went back to pushing onto his chest, breathless and covered in sweat, she continued to press fifteen times counting it off and mumbling about five more breaths. She continued this way for several moments. The air was thick with the tension and time seemed to have stopped all together. 

          The only noise that could be heard was the hurried gasping breaths Kagome wheezed out and in to the motionless pup. Sango held Shippou in her arms while the kit shuddered and quaked, her eyes filled with mournful tears that wouldn't fall, frozen in the stillness of the moment. 

          Inuyasha too, felt an odd sense of hope in his chest, though he new the pup was dead. But somehow he believed, Kagome could do this, somehow he knew she could. 

          Kagome visibly shook from her efforts, she was tired and weak from her exertions, with nothing to show for them. But she didn't slow down. 

          "You can't die… c'mon Inumaru… you have to… save your mother… please wake… up…" Once again she sealed her lips to the boys and Inuyasha counted the five breaths silently. It was a useless battle, closing his eyes he reached out to stop her, his clawed hand gently holding her shoulder as she rose to start the compressions again.

          "Kagome…"

          "No! He can…" 

          Inuyasha shook his head silently fighting back his own guilt ridden tears. If he hadn't have kicked him out, if he'd fallowed him, then maybe the pup would have lived. 

          "No! He's your son!" Kagome's cry cut through to Inuyasha and froze his heart.

          "He can survive this! Because, he. Is. Your. Son!" Kagome punctuated each word with a compression, tears running down her dirtied cheeks. One crystalline fragment dripped from her chin to land on the pup's deathly white face. 

          Inuyasha watched it fall and strike, falling down the small child's face, like it was his own. Inuyasha raised a hand to his haiori top tracing the place the two tear drops had been. 

          Looking back over he watched as Kagome kept trying to bring the pup back, so hopeful, so sure that he would, all because the pup was his. 

_Why, why does she risk everything… for my pup? Why does she believe so fully that… he can make it?_

          As she continued the compressions, out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha saw the pup's ear twitch. Quickly he turned to watch the pup more fully, and once again caught the movement. 

_It's working! _

          Straining his senses, he listened, trying to catch any sound that may prove the pup was alive. At first there was nothing, but when Kagome switched to breathing once more, he caught it! The faint, but strong thrum of Inumaru's heartbeat. 

          "Kagome!" Inuyasha's arm shot out to grab her as she pulled back. Her look was startled and she struggled faintly.

          "Inuyasha, wait… I can…" She was interrupted as the small boy began coughing hysterically, his eyes squeezing shut, as he rolled in the direction Inuyasha was in. 

          A collected gasp went around the area, as the town's people who had come with Miroku began hurried rumors, "Did you see that? She just brought the kid back from the dead!" 

          Kagome shook with her exhaustion; she placed a hand on Inumaru's back gently rubbing it as the pup breathed heavily. Inuyasha watched in fascination, again wondering why she'd done all this. 

          "Kagome!" Shippou came careening into her arms, sobbing and choking on his own words. Kagome just smiled and rubbed the child's back. Her eyes rose to lock with his and she smiled at him, causing a warmth to spread through him. And he found the answer to his question, smiling back at her, he lifted Inumaru into his arms and stood up, waiting patiently for Kagome to do the same.

_… it's because she _is _Kagome…_

          Inuyasha breathed in deeply catching the sent on his pup. It was distorted by the smell of ash and blood, but he could clearly pick out his own sent on the boy. And buried beneath the smells of his comrades was the sent of old dirt and endless time. A smell that clung to two people he knew and loved, but before he could decipher anymore, Kagome entered his line of 'smell', her sent warm and soothing, calming his senses. 

_Kagome… Arigato…_

**********

          A figure sat near the edge of the forest, cloaked in white fur, watching from between the foliage and the fire light as the group and the town's people made their way back into the village. Inuyasha growling and complaining about going back, calling the people butchers. A dark laugh echoed from the man shrouded in darkness. His blood red eyes fallowed the figures as they moved away from him. Giant wasp like creatures hummed behind him, taking in the seen their master watched in detachment.

          "Who is this… pup? Most interesting… Kukukuku."

          And like a shadow in the forest he seemed to vanish from sight, fading into the darkness of the undergrowth, leaving only his sent behind him, but by the time the sun would rise, the stench of the fire would have drowned out all smells, even one as foul as his own. 

**A.N.**** Well this took forever to write. Thirty-seven pages!!!! Holy crap! And they only get longer!!!! Well, I hope there aren't too many grammatical, or spelling errors I re-read it several times but who knows you know? ^-^ A few things to clear up, first off Inuyasha uses the Japanese term for his "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer" (Senkon Tetsu) Because the English version sounds kinda childish, and that's why Inumaru uses that one, kinda to show how childlike his would sound. Also, Inumaru Calls his Mother Moma, not Mama, because it's just a pronunciation thing, almost like a trait, so yes I do know how to spell Mama. Now, the last two things;**

**1. Sechi Translates out to: 'A stingy person.' So Sechi-sama= Mr. Stingy person.**

**2. Jugon translates out to: 'Sea pig'. So Jugon-hime= ****Princess****Sea**** pig.**

**^-^ Well stay tuned to chapter 4. And REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!!!!!! **

**I plan to update my pictures on Deviantart.com so check it out and tell me what you think! Thank you**

**Le-chan ^-^ **


	4. Chapter 4: The Dark Alliance Inumaru's T...

**A.N.**** Well I'm back again with chapter 4 of The Black Haired Hanyou. I have movie two, the castle beyond the looking glass… Inuyasha and Kagome KISS!!!!!!!!! No joke, if I knew how to take images from the screen to the computer I'd do it but you know… Anyway on with my fic… but before that, here is my thanks: Thank you Pia Bartolini, Kaye, Laura571, Miss Pocky Lover, Frisbee, Yuxi, Crystal Twilight, Inuyasha-girly-2007, Lil-kitty-Deamon077, Raven Shadow, Gevaudan, Elysiankiss, Lady Nanshi. Thank you so much, and remember reviewing Helps!!! **

The Black Haired Hanyou

Chapter 4

          _The air around him was warm still, even in the early months of fall, the sun bright and cheerful in the ice blue sky. His mother's hand was warm and soft as it held his own. Inumaru smiled up into her face and squeezed her hand lovingly. But her smile was small and nearly lifeless._

_          His smile dissolved away as he looked into her glassy eyes. Her face was pale and shiny from sweat and her footfalls where like lead. Fear began to crawl up his gut as he looked on worriedly, he could do nothing to help her and Papa was off in the woods somewhere. He was always going off to the woods, Moma always told Inumaru that he went there to speak to a dear friend he'd lost sometime before, someone he loved very much but could never have. _

_          He never understood that but never questioned it. But now he did, his Moma was feeling bad and his Papa wasn't there to make it better. _

_          Again he squeezed her hand gently, but she didn't seem to notice his presence at all._

_          "Moma, are you alright? Moma?" Inumaru began to tug on her hand gently compelling her to look at him. She seemed to titer back and forth from his efforts. He stopped his pulling and began to gently lead her in the direction of dear Grandma-Kaede. She always knew what to do, when his Papa and Moma fought over something and his Papa ran off into the woods leaving his Moma to cry, Grandma-Kaede always soothed away her fears and his own. _

_          But the fights seemed small and insignificant to him, what bothered Inumaru the most was when his mother seemed to become most upset or saddened when his Papa ran off. Almost as if the woods would swallow him up, that something inside that place his father loved so much, would take him away forever. But his Papa always came back, with flowers and an apology. _

_          And then whenever anyone was sick, Grandma-Kaede was always there to make it better. There was nothing she couldn't do, so she could save his Moma now._

_          His mother's weight seemed to slow her movements a great deal, His little hands seemed to have faded from her mind as her grip slackened leaving Inumaru to do all the work._

_          His nose twitched at the smell of perspiration, and he turned startled gold eyes to her, nearly crying out when her deathly white face, soaked in her own sweat, met his gaze. His heart pounded in his ears as fearful tears welled up and down his cheeks. His whole form shook and he panted wanting to scream out the icy fear that was quickly growing inside him. _

_          Frantically, he whipped his head from side to side knowing that all the people around him loved his mother, knew her as their Miko, yet no one stopped, no one even noticed. He whimpered, lower lip trembling releasing a small howl of agony. He wanted his Papa, where was he? Where was his hero? Where did he go, and why had he not returned to save him from this pain. _

_          A scream tore from his throat, burning it from the inside as he threw his head back screaming for all he was worth, screaming out for his Papa, for Kaede, Shippou, Miroku, Sango, even for Kirara. But still no one stopped or even glanced his way. _

_          "Help please! Moma! Moma, please wake up!" He dared not shake her after seeing her glazed eyes. His fear rose as the over whelming urge to throw up climbed higher into his gut. The strange stench surrounding his mother only urged the queasiness on. His world was falling around him, stuck in a crowd screaming but nobody even turned to look his way, no one._

_          "PAPA!" Screaming in anguish he buried his face into his mother's lap shaking his head from side to side rubbing his cheeks raw on the fabric of her clothes. His hands fisted tightly in the rough fabric on the small of her back, clutching her close to him, hoping to wake up from this nightmare safe in his parents bed, tucked snugly between them. His prayers seemed unheard for no matter how hard he tried the nightmare would not end._

_          Hopelessness crept into his heart like a damp chill throwing his body into painful spasms and choked sobs. _

_The surrounding wind turned cold, matching the chill inside his body. His sobs slowed when a deep throaty laugh swirled around him, the laugh crude and vindictive; mocking his pain. The voice vibrated through his head from somewhere above him. Slowly, he pulled back and looked up, the clothes he held where white and furry, no longer the bright color of his mother's attire that day. _

_Traveling further upward, his golden eyes found the deathly-white face the laugh was emitting from. The man looked down grinning evilly showing his teeth all neatly placed in his cruel mouth. Though the smile showed true malice it was the man's eyes that gave him pause. They where the color of blood, the deep hues of crimson, swirling and morphing like the real flow of life through veins, that held a coldness that froze his very heart. _

_Startled he leapt back, trying to escape from the evil man, but the man's hands came down like vise on his fore arms restricting his movement. Inumaru twisted in the man's grasp fresh tears propelling down his scared face. But his tears only caused the man more joy as he bent down, his breathe rancid and hot, "She will die. You have failed… you betrayed her…" _

_          His heart all but stopped at the man's words his eyes widening in fear, his throat strangely dry. The laughter resumed consuming him in a black box, alone._

          Inumaru's eyes shot open in fear, his breath labored and heavy. His eyes locked on the support beams of a room he didn't recognize. The room was dark save for the small bit of light shining through the small opening of the shoji door. The opening created a soft pillar of light that stretched out over the wood roof. Oddly enough the small strip of light and the splintered wood calmed him down, his mind spiraling back down from his panicked state, leaving the dull throb of a head ache in its wake. 

_Where… am I?_

          His brow narrowed down as he tried to remember what had happened. Reluctantly, his mind sluggishly pulled up the memories of the previous day. The images and painful feeling of betrayal and confusion stung deep in his heart. Rolling on to his side he curled in on himself trying to imitate the feeling of his mother's strong arms as she held him close, but it wasn't the same. 

          A small pressure about his waist startled him out of his revere and uncurling he found the gauze wrapped around his torso and most of his back.  He blinked several times confused, gently running a fingertip across the scratchy fabric. The burns across his body itched from the herbs and the ruff bandages, the irritation only magnified by the healing his demon blood was quickly working on. 

_I was saved… _

          The muscles on his head pulled taunt as he unconsciously tried to flick his ears forward, the slight ach of discomfort alerted Inumaru to the bandages that covered his head wrapping securely about his injured ear. It all seemed surreal in his mind, the queasy smell of medicinal herbs, the tired ach in his body, even his mind was numb. The small hanyou couldn't find the motive to move, resigning himself to lying in his own misery to numb to cry, too tired to sleep. 

_The herbs smell like Moma… Grandma Kaede… I want to go home. I hate it here, I hate the people… I hate the smell… _

          Lip trembling in the dark the small boy sniffled his tears back, the quickly fading pain from his wounds coming back full force as his mind lingered on his hurts. 

          "Moma… I don't wanna stay here…" His body shook violently with his quiet sobs as the tears once again rushed out of his swollen eyes. He blinked rapidly trying to press them back inside, trying to be brave like his mother would want him to be. "But… but I can't come back… I can't come back with out a cure for you Moma… but I don't wanna stay here… no more…" 

          His grueling, lonesome, pain seemed to engulf him in a shawl of darkness not unlike the crushing darkness inside the burning cabin. He seemed to stay in his own personal hell for hours. His soul tormented and beat until it was nothing more then a decrepit bundle of smoke. 

          When his sobs shallowed out enough for his hearing to come back he became aware of the muffled voices in the room just outside of his own. For a moment his heart stilled in his chest and he refused to breathe, fear creeping into his body as his mind recalled the harsh cruelty of man. The muffled voices where distorted and blurred from his bandages and the distance; their words undeterminable. 

_They're planning to hurt me some more!_

          Panic set in to his body and froze his muscles his heart jumping into action speeding up to an unhealthy level. The voices switched from person to person and finally a soft feminine tone drifted to his numbed ears. Again his breath stalled, golden eyes widening in recognition.

_I know that voice…_

          _The room was dark and burning hot, he couldn't escape couldn't breathe. There was so much pain. His flesh was peeling up and charring but he couldn't pull away couldn't open his eyes, couldn't cry. _

_It was death, he could see it, but someone called to him… someone pleading with him to open his eyes. He was too tired, to pained to do so. The pressure again began, he couldn't escape it and the voice wouldn't let him be… calling him back to the surface back to the world so hot and cruel. He didn't want to wake up didn't want to return to that place, but the soft voice kept pleading and he couldn't resist it…_

          Inumaru was shaken nearly violently from his thoughts as the soft voice was cut short but a gruff, growling male. His timbre one ingrained deeply in the child's physic. The man only spoke a few words before falling silent under the other voices in the room, but those few rumbling moments was enough to make Inumaru practically leap from his bedding and quickly crawl toward the door. His sore limbs making him even more clumsy than his small body already was. 

          "… It's called CPR Inuyasha. It's not a secret spell of "Shinigami"." Kagome's voice held a sunny quality that was both serious and jovial at the same time. Inumaru could see only a portion of the room through the tiny crack between his shoji door and the wall. But he could still see Kagome as she sat in front of the fire pit, Shippou resting by her left knee. And just beside her the man Inumaru had desperately wanted to see. 

          "Feh. Whatever…" Inuyasha crossed his arms and turned away from her with a pout. 

          "What is CPR, Kagome-chan?" Sango's voice drifted somewhere on the opposite side of the fire pit just out of Inumaru's range of view, but he knew Miroku was most likely with her so wasn't surprised when he heard the monk reciprocate the demon exterminator's question from with in the general direction. 

          "Well… It's ahh… Well…" Kagome paused placing a finger to her lower lip as she stared up at the ceiling. Inuyasha pretended not to care, but Inumaru had his eyes trained on his Father and saw Inuyasha's tentative flick of his right ear as he tried to hear her better. 

          "Ah!" Kagome brought her hand down into her other and held it as she explained the basic steps of "rescue breathing".

          "Well, if a person's heart is stopped and they aren't breathing CPR is a way to try and get the heart to work again before the body truly dies." At the blank stares she received Kagome's cheery smile faded. 

          "You pretty much breathe for them until they can do it themselves." Inumaru could hear the registration of understanding from both Miroku and Sango and he could see the slight incline of his father's head proving he was listening avidly to Kagome's words. 

          "You lock your arms and hands together and place it in the center-base of the ribcage and press with your body weight fifteen times, that's called a compression." Sango tried to form the word in her moth audibly wrapping it around her tongue and getting used to the term. Kagome nodded and smiled up at her and continued with her explanation. 

          "After that you tilt the head back to free the air-way plug the nose and breathe into the person five times then repeat the process until the person gives some sign of life." Kagome smiled but looked a little queasy. She hadn't quiet given them the exact directions but she wasn't sure if they'd understand the full detailed lay out CPR and rescue breathing so figured the quick and simple terms where good enough for the time being. 

          Inumaru watched as his father slowly relaxed in the corner after Kagome's explanation but he couldn't figure out why. Or why he was even caring. He was slightly confused, if Kagome was explaining CPR she must have used it on someone and that would mean…

          Kagome smiled and laughed slightly at something the monk had said and the sound sparked recognition in the pup's mind. For a moment he was upset and hurt but quickly he shoved the thoughts aside. 

_So Papa didn't save me after all… Kagome did… _

          He suddenly needed to be held. With out a second thought he slid the door open allowing more of the room's light to spill over his form. The door was rather heavy for him, and his arms burned with their exertions, but Inumaru slowly managed to eased the wooden shoji enough so that his small form could squeeze through.

 He knew Inuyasha turned the instant he moved; he could feel the other Hanyou's eyes on him. He had everyone's attention the moment he entered the room but he didn't respond to their smiles and worried questions. He hardly even heard them, he knew they where talking but it just didn't register in his mind. All he could see was Kagome as he approached her side. She sat with her legs curled beneath her so he was eye level with her eyes. She smiled softly at him and reached out to gently stroke the hair from his forehead. 

          "Are you alright, Inumaru?"

          Her soft words broke him and before he could stop it a strangled whimper escaped his throat. Inumaru's legs quaked and then collapsed from beneath him. As he fell, Inuyasha quite nearly leaped to his feet to aid the pup, but Inumaru was unaware of the fatherly gesture. His head felt weighed down and he placed it onto Kagome's lap breathing her in deeply. For a moment he felt cold and alone but as soon as her fingers rose to softly caress his face and hair the cold feeling dissipated like a lost memory. Her warmth and soft scent wrapped around him like a loving embrace soothing away his fear and pain; lifting him into a soft lulling sleepy state. Sighing blissfully he snuggled into her lap and popped his thumb into his mouth allowing her gentle touch to pull him into a dreamless sleep. 

_… Kagome…_

**********

          The pup was asleep with in moments his back rising a falling in a slow even rhythm. Inumaru's thumb slipped into his mouth resting between his fangs his small pink tongue curled around his digit, its tip slightly visible from between his lips. A low rumbled waved off the pup, not a deep growl; the pup couldn't even do that yet, but a small shaky purr of contentment. 

          Inuyasha slowly relaxed and sank back down to his seated position beside Kagome, watching as her hand drifted over the Pup's bandaged back. Blood had stopped oozing from his wounds long ago but the dark stains showed clearly through the white wrappings. 

          Inuyasha felt the hairs on his back stand on end, and he hunched forward slightly, growl creeping up his insides. 

_Those bastards…_

          "My, Kagome-san, it appears you've won his trust." Miroku smiled warmly across the fire at the young girl and his deep voice caused the sleeping child to twitch burring deeper into Kagome.

          The pup's face snuggled against the softness of Kagome's lower belly as he breathed in deeply letting out a soft yelp of contentment. Neither Kagome nor the sleeping pup had noticed that his claws had snagged in her shirt but Inuyasha had seen it, and his eyes seemed to hone in on the picture they made. Inuyasha twitched, previous anger dissipating as a new annoyance flared. He neither relaxed nor choked back his low growl of authority, as he glared at the pup he'd just previously been angered for. 

          The annoyance he knew all to well, as his instincts kicked in alerting him to the intrusion on _his_ property. His eyebrow twitched as the pup continued to sleep peacefully on the lap of Kagome. 

_Why the hell is he…?! _

          Inuyasha barely noticed when Shippou bounded in between his "Glare-point" blocking Inumaru from his sight. The small Kit flicked his tail in curiosity as he watched Inumaru sleep under the tender watch of Kagome. He blinked his large green eyes absently scratching the back of his head. 

          "Well, there's no doubt about it. He's Inuyasha's pup alright." Abruptly everyone's attention was brought to the kitsune and Inuyasha abandoned his possessive growl to glower at the smaller youkai. 

          "What do you mean Shippou?" Sango asked looking rather perturbed. She sat petting Kirara as the cat demon napped on her lap, her other hand being used as both a brace for herself and a warning to the delinquent Monk seated beside her.

          "Well, he hasn't been here for more then two day's and already he's claimed Kagome." Shippou stated rather bluntly cocking his head to the side with a wide grin. 

          Inuyasha jumped his eyes widening as his pupils dilated, a deep blush covering his face. It wasn't like that! Inuyasha shook, feeling violated by the kits accusations.

_Just how the fuck does that prove anything?! Besides that... that brat hasn't claimed Kagome at all! _

          His glare retuning, Inuyasha looked back at the sleeping pup, contently lying on Kagome. And just as Kouga had a tendency to do, the pup managed to piss him off by just existing. 

          Twitching, he swung out, releasing his anger in an accustomed fashion. Shippou was pounded into the floor and with a cry of retaliation, leapt up to scream at the Hanyou.

          "Inuyasha! You big jerk what was that for!?" Shippou pouted holding his swelling head big tears welling at the corners of his eyes. Inuyasha glared at the kit then swung his head in the other direction his hair billowing out and around him for a moment.

          "Keh!" Once again crossing his arms and staring out the window. Shippou snarled at the back of Inuyasha's head his little fists shaking.

          "Inuyasha no baka…" Turning back around the red head walked back over to watch Kagome mother the tiny child in her arms. Her gentle movements and soft caresses soothed his own nerves, although he was not the one being coddled. Briefly, Shippou felt a sharp pang of jealousy and crawled up to Kagome's other side mimicking Inumaru's position. 

          Inuyasha watched as the other pup crawled up onto Kagome as well and he snarled and whipped back again to face the window. The low sound of Kagome's humming ceased and until that moment he hadn't been aware of her singing at all. Puzzled for a moment he glanced out of the corner of his eye; Shippou was looking up at her with one eye, his other was squeezed tightly shut. The kit's entire form fit perfectly on one of her thighs, it would have been cute had Inuyasha's territory not been so badly breached. 

          With a soft smile Kagome let one had sooth over Shippou's bushy tail, while the other returned to the sleeping pup. Inuyasha felt his hackles rise and his irritation swell. With a snort he rose to his feet as Kagome again resumed her quiet humming, the tune fitting in sounding like any other nightly noise. It both soothed and irritated Inuyasha. For a moment he just stood there letting the barely audible sound wash over him like her presence did, before finally, turning and walking out of the small room.  He was slightly saddened when no one even questioned his movement, and more then a little hurt when Kagome didn't come out to inquire about it. 

_Feh! Who needs 'em anyway?_

          Inuyasha found the nearest tree and leapt up into the higher branches, enjoying the sharp chill of the night air against his face. Dawn would be breaking in less then four hours and then they could finally leave this rat hole. 

          Another growl escaped his throat as his muscles tensed in remembrance. He was angry, not just that, he was furious, for the first time in his mind he consciously wanted to rip those human butchers apart with his own claws. To see their horrified faces as they died, to inflict the same torture and fear they'd instilled in _his _pup. 

Inuyasha froze, his heart pounding in his ears. He didn't hear the low croon of the night bird in the distance, nor did he feel the cool breeze that swept by him. He swallowed nervously, afraid of his own thoughts. The thought scared him, more then the thought of loosing to his demon blood, he feared himself, the instincts screaming at him to protect his own. 

Sharply, Inuyasha shook his head glaring once again, releasing a low growl as if he could dispel the fear he felt like he could the air he breathed.

          It was too damn confusing! The pup was an intrusion on his space, a bothersome brat that never ceased trying to piss him off. He wanted to blast that rotten kid into outer space, like those ro-ke-to things in Kagome's time that landed on the moon… and yet… at the same time he wanted … needed to protect the brat. 

          A pained look crossed the Hanyou's face, it was physically painful. He was _not _a father and yet, the pup was his, his instincts had accepted it he knew it, deep inside he knew, but the pup just wasn't _his_! 

          Inuyasha growled again shaking his head sharply sitting up from his lounging position to cradle his head in his hands. It wasn't just the small bundle of hanyou, (that recently took the liberty of lying on Kagome), that had his nerves in knots. No, it wasn't only the pup, the danger and cruelty of earlier that night had struck something, and reminded him of somthing he didn't wish to remember ever again. But his distraught mind wouldn't rest. He could see them again clear as day, the angered faces, the sneering jests, the beatings…

          His body felt weighted, but he couldn't stop running. If he stopped now they'd catch him. And if they caught him they'd kill him. It wasn't a question, they'd purposefully pierced his soft side with the arrow, it had been meant to kill him, if he hadn't had his youkai speed he'd already be dead. 

          His throat burned, his side stung from where he'd been shot and from them ripping the arrow from him before beating him. His right ear was useless, warm blood still trickled down his cheek from his ear, with out his hearing he was in even more trouble then he'd be in if the human's caught him. The demon's, the big mean ones, would be out soon and they'd smell his blood. Fresh tears coursed down his cheeks and Inuyasha brought one tiny fist to his face to scrub the tears away. 

          He wasn't quite sure exactly when he'd stopped, but he was. Suddenly he wished his mother was still alive, that she would appear to him and save him from all this pain. A Small howl of pain ripped out of his throat for the first time in months and he collapse into himself hugging his small six year old self close as if his mother was the one that really held him. 

          His throat felt raw and torn after his sobs had soothed over a bit and a cold sense of numbness swept through him. All had gone quiet, the entire forest, his one good ear flicked in all directions searching for the disturbance. But his dulled senses told him nothing, his head felt light and dizzy as his loss of blood caught up to him, he was tired, giving up and sleeping just sounded so nice.

_No… Mama told me to survive… I have to ... live… _

          Shoving himself back up to his feet he took off again his limbs going numb to the fiery pain that bloomed all over his body, but still he ran. His dirt encrusted hair flowing behind him like a banner. A river came into his view, and he paused, an insane plan forming in his mind; if he jumped in, the human's wouldn't catch him, and the demons couldn't smell him if he was in moving water. And in the next instant he was surrounded by the rushing icy fingers of the river his vision fading into darkness…

          Inuyasha blinked his eyes to clear his mind, his eyes focusing on the night around him. Breathing deeply for several moments Inuyasha repressed his angry and frightened emotions.

_I understand him… too well… _Inuyasha gazed back toward the hut, his golden eyes clear for the first time that evening, his jealousness all but gone, for the moment. 

_Kagome saved him… she's still saving him… _Inuyasha smiled to himself closing his eyes and tilting his head back against the bark of the tree. He could clearly picture Kagome in his mind, the wind playing with her hair, sakura petals falling all around her as she pushed her pink "Bai-se-ka-lu" thingy. Her words where softly spoken but burned into his memory forever.

          _"Don't be afraid to show me your soft side every now and then… after all you're not alone anymore." _

          Inuyasha let his eyes ease open; eyes deep and wiser then anyone would have guessed them to be. His eyes fell on the hut, light barely visible through the window.

_… Just as she's saving me… Kagome._

**********

            The golden beams of the sun eased through the open shoji door of the small hut the village had given to the traveling group in a form of quiet apology for the misunderstanding between them. The light was warm and comforting even as its persistence drove sleep away from the corrupted Monk, forcing him to open his eyes and awake to the day. 

          Blinking his blue eyes leisurely, enjoying the rare moment of waking up when he pleased, Miroku slowly rolled onto his side with a sigh. He'd forgotten how nice it felt to slowly awake to the morning, not having to worry about how pissed off his half demon friend would be that day if he didn't get up, or whether or not they'd find another jewel shard, or whether they'd have another messy encounter with Kikyou. In which case, Inuyasha would do something stupid, hurting Kagome and either sending her back to the safety of her time or make the rest of the group suffer through their long silent battle. 

          Miroku sighed in agitation; the hanyou could be so childish at times that Miroku sometimes pondered over whether it was really Inuyasha, or actually Shippou, who was older. Miroku made a soft laughing hum to himself and smiled at his comparison. 

          A low growl caught his attention and Miroku almost threw his pillow in its direction, out of habit, when Inuyasha would come in to wake him, but stalled his movements when he opened his eyes and spotted just what had caught Inuyasha's attention. 

          Inuyasha was crouched over a sleeping Kagome, his ears laid flat against his scalp. At first glance it looked like Kagome had sat him in her sleep again, but upon further inspection, Miroku found it wasn't the girl at all who had the dog demon's jealous growl, but the two children that seemed to be completely happy snuggled up against her chest inside of her sleeping bag. Miroku smiled knowingly and nodded his head in understanding. 

          Inuyasha had confided in him not long ago, after tedious hours of prying, bribing, and threatening, that the close sleeping habits of Shippou and Kagome made Inuyasha… 'Uncomfortable'.  Miroku couldn't even begin to imagine what his thoughts where on his so called child. Personally Miroku was completely convinced the pup was Inuyasha's. Their youki was so similar it was uncanny, and Inuyasha's protective instincts the night before, was more than enough proof that the child was his. Like it or not his body had recognized the child as being his own and had responded to the child's threat like any other demon would. 

          But, instinctual or not, Miroku also knew Inuyasha was not prepared to have a child, and was there for not comfortable with him. And Miroku was more then sure that, the fact the pup had crawled his way under Kagome's sleeping shirt during the night, and now rested against, what he assumed to be, her bare chest, was the main cause of Inuyasha's jealousness. 

_He's such an idiot! Like his pup would really infringe on his father's territory. _

          Miroku was somewhat angered by the demon's lack of sense, but had learned long ago that it wasn't worth his time to get involved. It was best to let the idiot learn on his own, he'd been doing it for years, and Miroku doubted anyone could change Inuyasha's frame of mind.

          He meant nothing bad about the hanyou, in fact Inuyasha had become something Miroku had never had before; a friend. Sure he'd had a mentor who stood closer to him then even his father had, which was understandable having been raised by Mushin, but the man was more of a grandfather then a real friend. And Hachii, well he was more of a younger brother type friend, Hachii was a good companion but not one to whom you confided some of your deepest secrets in.  Inuyasha wasn't really the type to talk soul to soul, and at first he'd been down right annoying, but after time Miroku began to find that the over-baring, smart ass, rude, and childish selfishness was a shield for the wounded boy with in. Inuyasha was not so different from him, and although Miroku could never fully identify with him, he could at least understand him somewhat. Sango, too, could relate to the half-man, more so then he. But it was Kagome, as unlikely as it seemed who understood him the best.

_Kagome sure is one of a kind. _

          Miroku sat up at that thought deciding that enough was enough, and stretched in a very obvious manner, knowing that Inuyasha would back down a bit; once he knew he'd have an audience. 

          Inuyasha played his role to a 'T'. He acknowledged Miroku and his growling ceased and he'd turned in the opposite direction feigning unconcern.

_Inuyasha, you're just too simple minded sometimes… _ 

          "Ohiayo, Inuyasha." Miroku said in a softer voice than necessary, not wanting to wake the others. They all needed this extra rest, after the events that had just recently occurred. 

          "Feh!" Inuyasha snorted finding a good outlet for his anger.  Miroku rolled his eyes and stood up, completing his stretch, and allowed his sore and stiff muscles to relax. 

          "Well, it looks like today's going to be a good day." Miroku smiled cheerily, purposely ignoring Inuyasha's blank stare. Miroku cleared his throat and tried another tactic after Inuyasha continued to glare daggers at his back. "Well, I mean after yesterday, anything would be better than…" He bit his own sentence off at the painful glare that had settled on Inuyasha's face, his golden eyes focused again on the small pup buried beneath Kagome's shirt.  

          The guilty look in the Hanyou's eyes brought Miroku's needling to a halt, and he released a sigh, walking over to sit beside his friend. They sat side by side neither looking at the other; silent. 

          Finally, Miroku managed to form the words that tumbled about in his head.

          "What happened?"  At first it looked like he wasn't going to receive an answer, Inuyasha was too wound up in his own thoughts to respond, but Miroku knew better then to press and waited until Inuyasha relaxed beside him.

          From his peripheral vision Miroku saw Inuyasha sag as he released his breath, his silver bangs covering his eyes. Then, he sucked in a great amount of air raising his eyes to stare off into some unknown place, reliving the event in his head.

          "It's my fault the pup was hurt." Inuyasha stated calmly and Miroku raised an eyebrow waiting for Inuyasha to continue. "He came into my bedding again, he … he cried into my … my clothes. Held me here." 

          Miroku glanced over to see that Inuyasha's hand had raised to his chest to grasp the fabric of his haiori tightly, Inuyasha's eyes still distant and unfocused. Miroku turned away again respecting Inuyasha's privacy once more. When men spoke to each other there are certain unspoken rules the top one being: you listen but never make eye contact; and with Inuyasha the rule was a life or death issue. 

          After a moment Inuyasha continued. "He was just as he is now against Kagome, but… he was damn annoying! So I kicked him out…" Inuyasha's voice seemed strained so he stopped speaking turning back to the child, all wrapped up in bandages. 

          Miroku couldn't stop the sudden swell of pain that enveloped him when he looked upon the boy. The cruelty of man was more then nauseating, it made his skin crawl to be apart of them at the moment. 

          Obviously Inuyasha felt the same, and Miroku felt that Inuyasha's growl was well deserved. Miroku breathed in deeply, slowly, releasing it on a sigh. The warmth of the sun rising behind him was comforting, and for a moment it was like so many other mornings over the past year, searching for Naraku. 

_But it's not… _Opening his grey eyes again, Miroku looked at their newest companion. The small child was wrapped completely in bandages, and although he was sure that, like Inuyasha, the child would heal quickly, Miroku still felt a bit worried about moving the boy just yet. 

          With a gentle smile Miroku faced his Hanyou friend and laid a comforting hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. The growl cut off almost immediately, but the worry was still clear in his golden eyes. 

_You're more slave to your demonic instincts than you'd like to admit Inuyasha… First Kagome and now your child. _

          Miroku sighed in despair at the irony of it all. He asked and asked for a child, a son no less. He needed one badly and who gets the son? 

          "Miroku…?" 

          Inuyasha was giving him an apprehensive look while scooting away from him looking a bit unnerved. Miroku cocked his head to the side before realizing that his hand was still on Inuyasha's shoulder. 

          With his own disgusted yelp, Miroku yanked his hand away and coughed into it while Inuyasha continued to act violated, all previous "instincts" forgotten. 

          "Anyway, I think we should stay for the morning, and let them regroup?" Miroku tilted his head in Kagome's direction and was rewarded by Inuyasha's contemplative face again. It was obvious Inuyasha hadn't planned to wake them up in the first place, but Miroku knew he'd never admit to it.  

          With a yawn, Miroku traveled back over to his spot from the night before and curled up on his side, fully intending on falling back asleep. 

For while he watched Sango as she sleeped; admiring her feminine beauty, among other things, when he heard the soft sound of rustling clothing. 

          Quickly turning back onto his side Miroku glanced over toward the area he'd left his friend in and smiled at the sight he met. Inuyasha lay curled around tetsuiaga, on his side as close to Kagome as possible. And Miroku was sure Inuyasha didn't realize that he'd placed his free hand on top of Inumaru's head, almost as if he where protecting the child from further harm.  

_He may not want to admit it but he's scared for that kid. _

          With a longing sigh the corrupted Monk reclined back into his bedding and rolled to get into a more comfortable position. Again he was facing Sango, and Miroku found himself humbled a bit by her sleeping face, even asleep she looked sad. She was a strong and brave woman, one of the only ones that truly held his respect, though he'd never let her know that. 

          She continued to sleep on, blissfully unaware of his presence, and Miroku shook his head sadly shaking the absurd thoughts from his head. _Sleep Miroku, you need sleep… because if you're going to pull off that stunt of yours you'd better have the energy to withstand the punishment._

          "Hai, hai." Miroku sleepily yawned before allowing his perverted mind to fall back into its timeless state of beautiful, naked, women, and Sango carrying her boomerang. 

**********

          The sun was shining again, warm and comforting, yet the wind still warned of the colder season soon to fallow, but on the sodden path leading out of 'The Village from Hell', as Shippou was now referring to it, it seemed like it was all just a dream. 

_But it wasn't… _ Kagome looked down at the small boy skittering about in front of her plating tag with Shippou. He'd healed, not completely, but enough that he was walking on his own and running with only a little discomfort. She was sure it was more due to his demon blood then the measly herbs and medicine she'd applied after reaching the hut they'd stayed in the night before. 

          The boy's head was unwrapped now but his left ear still hung limply against his head. He'd probably be deaf in it for a while, she wanted to ask Inuyasha about it, but somehow knew his answer wouldn't be nice. She could basically hear his sarcastic voice in her head while he insulted her and her mothering ways. 

          Kagome sighed pushing her annoyance back by reminding herself why he was in such a fowl mood, and with that thought came the hilarity from it. Inuyasha had obviously not trusted Seichi-sama's word that the villagers would not attack them again, so he most likely spent the night in a tree, awake most the night, and from the looks of things now, had probably spent most of his time pondering over Inumaru. 

          She could read him like a one of her text books it seemed, and Kagome allowed herself a knowing smile, content in that knowledge. But it was after that point, that she drew a blank, at sometime during the night, he'd come back inside, most likely after day break, and fallen asleep beside her. 

          Kagome turned a light shade of pink remembering how his hand had rested on her belly then. She couldn't place why he'd have his hand on her stomach, but didn't have the guts to ask him about it. It was after realizing that Inuyasha was touching her, that she'd realized that Inumaru and Shippou where already awake, and the two had decided, that Inuyasha; more specifically his face, was the perfect sheet of doodling paper and where busily inking on circles and lines around his eyes and cheeks. 

          The squeaking of the markers she'd brought back for Shippou, after he'd lost his crayons; which Shippou was busily using, mixed with the soft tickling of the ink brush Inumaru used to write the word 'Baka' across his forehead, must have caused Inuyasha to wake up. 

          The two boys had frozen on the spot their eyes wide, Shippou looked like he was going to pass out, where as Inumaru just smiled, in an all too familiar way, showing his teeth. Then, they both dropped their utensils, and bolted. 

          Inuyasha had sat back and growled menacingly after the two then rolled over, most likely to fall back asleep, and his eyed had locked with her own.

It would have been a romantic moment had his face not been distorted by bright and colorful markers and black ink with baka in bold characters across his forehead. 

          Kagome had bit her lip to hold in her laughter, but was loosing the battle against her insides. 

          "What the hell's so funny?" He had growled but his annoyed face only made the look even more humorous and Kagome lost it rolling onto her back holding her stomach, and unintentionally, trapped his hand between her own and her belly. 

          Inuyasha was then forced to move forward as she rolled and could probably feel her stomach muscles move as she laughed, and the close contact made him blush, his anger melting away. He swallowed convulsively, and breathed in through his nose and finally caught onto the smell of ink, and the burning stench of the marker.

Kagome could still clearly see his face when he'd figured out what the two had been up to. She chuckled under her breath at the memory and received a sharp glare from Inuyasha as he brooded beside her, still pale from the smell. 

He had passed out from the mixture of the two smells as he'd leapt up to, "Kill those fucking brats", and Kagome and Sango had to scrub the contents from his face before he could regain consciousness.

He was still red around the eyes and his forehead still had some black residue from the ink. Kagome had to look away and cover her mouth to keep from laughing at him again.

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted and stuck his nose in the air, obviously insulted by her 'lack of understanding'.  

_He's more childish then the kids are. _ Kagome looked at Inuyasha's high and mighty demeanor and smiled at him, daring to walk just a bit closer to him then necessary. _But I wouldn't want him any other way… _Kagome reached out an arm and thread it through his, leaning her head on his shoulder, and continued to watch the children play. Miroku and Sango where a safe distance in front of the kids (sometimes behind them) as they continued their games, so Kagome felt rather safe in being so forward. 

          She could feel his muscles clench beneath her touch and knew instinctively that he was blushing and most likely looking at her like she'd just sprouted a second head.

_Heheh,__ and my bizarre illnesses get even more disturbing… _

          Kagome smiled to herself, silently promising not to let her grandfather use that excuse ever, and squeezed Inuyasha's arm comfortingly, before releasing it and walking beside him.  

_I wish time could freeze in this moment. It's so calm and peaceful now, Naraku seems so far away, my failing grades don't seem to matter… _Kagome's eyes rested on Inumaru's dark head as the kid laughed whole heartedly next to Shippou, his bright golden eyes alive with an innocence Kagome sadly knew Inuyasha had been denied as a child. Her heart went out to her companion, and she suddenly realized the importance Inumaru played in the future. Kagome nearly broke down at the moment of insight. The thought of Inuyasha being able to relive his childhood through his own son, and to possibly regain that innocence he'd lost so long ago, made her chest hurt as her heart swelled in hope. For a moment she could see them, Inuyasha and Inumaru together by an old shrine. She stood beside them helping to protect Inuyasha's happiness by protecting their child.

_… and I can keep pretending that I'm really his mother… _ 

          Kagome released her breath in a sigh and bowed her head. It was an odd feeling, knowing that she just might be Inumaru's mother and knowing that at the same time he could also be Kikyou's. Although she wasn't sure how that would be possible, what with her being dead and all. 

For a moment Kagome recalled a conversation she'd had with Kaede not to long before they'd left the Village last, roughly, Kagome shoved the memory from her mind and focused back on the picture of her friends walking happily before her in her perfect world. 

           Warmth spread through her hand and Kagome gave a sharp intake of breath, as a rough, callused hand slipped into her own, long, sturdy fingers tightening around hers. 

          Kagome looked over at Inuyasha and caught his blush as he looked down somewhat, in embarrassment, amazed himself at his bold actions. Kagome smiled warmly at him, touched at his show of affection, and turned back to face the front, giving his fingers a light squeeze in return.

_At least for now, I can pretend. _

          Inuyasha relaxed at her side his shoulders sagging into a more comfortable position as he continued to walk with Kagome's smaller hand in his own. It was peaceful and nice, and each enjoyed the other's company in silence. 

          For a while the moment lingered, the bouts of hysterical laughter from the kids, and the song of an occasional bird, the only sounds around them; the soft sound of their feet as they walked in perfect sync with each other, in no real hurry to get anywhere for the time being. 

          Kagome felt her heart lighten and couldn't stop her smile as it grew and as she glanced back at Inuyasha found a similar (if much smaller) smile of his own, his usual proud eyes fallowing the movements of his new family before him. Kagome could almost feel the protective-joy Inuyasha's eyes showed at finding a place to belong in, after so much pain it must mean so much to him to finally have something to rely on, something worth protecting and living for. 

_Maybe that will be enough to convince him to stay here, and not to fallow Kikyou into hell. _ 

          Kagome eased closer and placed her head back on Inuyasha's shoulder, breathing in deeply, pulling his smell deep into her self, memorizing the scent of deep forests and the wild wind. She squeezed Inuyasha's hand tightly as her mind brought forth the unwelcome image of bright light and wind, the ground opening up pulling the quiet hanyou down into its depths, threatening to swallow him whole, and Kikyou holding him to her chest a mixture and painful love and hate burning in her eyes. 

          Kagome trembled from the memory, the feeling of helplessness engulfing her again causing her grip to tighten even more, as she desperately tried to keep him with her, to find someway to make him believe he had something more to live for, something left to protect. 

          "Kagome…?" Inuyasha's soft whisper broke through her thoughts shattering the fading image like his claws had severed through the serpent-like bodies of Kikyou's soul stealers. He'd stopped walking and she'd stilled with him, the others had yet to notice them, Kagome could tell all this by the noise still going on around her. 

          Slowly Kagome raised her closed lids her vision clearing to the bright sunny day around her. Immediately her eyes locked on the child as he leaped into the air, arms up and out to his sides, a single leg raised, bent at the knee. The position, so much like Inuyasha's when he felt like being playful, made Kagome's chest tighten painfully in her chest with hope. 

_Maybe now, knowing he'll have a child someday, perhaps, that will keep him here with us… with me._

          "Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice rose a little and she could tell he was worried at her silence, slowly; she relaxed her tight grip on his arm as his voice caused the rest of the group to stop, noticing, for the first time, that they had stopped fallowing their lead.

          "Kagome-sama?" Miroku's deeper voiced question brought a smile to her face as she felt Inuyasha's arm tense beneath her; their moment had ended. 

With a sigh Kagome lifted her head forcing a bright and cheery smile to her face and she waved her hand at the others laughing a little. 

"I'm alright, just thinking." 

The other's continued to stare at her for a while, and the looks where beginning to make her uncomfortable. Kagome began to nervously laugh and took a step forward; her arm giving a slight tug at a resistance behind her. Kagome's eyes flew open as she realized that Inuyasha had yet to let go of her hand.  

By the time she turned back around, a blush on her cheeks, Inuyasha had realized the fact as well. For a single moment they stared at each other still blushing, but the moment was shattered as a soft weight collided into Kagome's waist jarring both of them. The reaction was instantaneous, Inuyasha blinked, his golden eyes widening in shock before he ripped his hand from hers almost violently. 

Kagome cringed slightly hurt at his reaction, he could be a little nicer about it, but this was Inuyasha and this was just the way he dealt with things. Kagome sighed yet again and dropped her head not wanting Inuyasha to see the hurt in her eyes as he turned back around.

_Looks like I'll have to make do for now… _

          A soft rubbing against her belly and the light tugging on the back of her skirt brought her attention back to the distraction that had broken their moment. Her hands (once freed from Inuyasha's grasp) had come to rest on the soft head and shoulders of Inumaru. The child had his small face pressed against her and was snuggling into her like any other six year old craving attention from a parent. The action made Kagome blush at its implications, it didn't help matters that Inuyasha was growling in the same manner he did when Kouga was around just behind her, obviously annoyed by Inumaru's actions. 

_It's sad when I can translate his growling patterns and make sense from them. _

          Kagome's eyes narrowed at the thought, taking on an un-amused look. Sango laughed behind her hand trying to cover up the fact that she found the whole display humorous and calming. Kagome couldn't help but smile in return; happy at least that Inumaru was up and about and seemed not to remember anything from the horrid event that had taken place. But Kagome knew better, the dim shadows in the kid's eyes was enough proof that he remembered what had happened but was determined to move past it. 

_This is probably his way of dealing with it. _

          Kagome's eyes were tender with affection as she gently stroked the fine, soft hair beneath her hand. It was pitch black shinning with tints of blue in the sunlight, slightly wavy with a life of its own, much more so then Inuyasha's. Inumaru's hair was almost wavy but not quite so, a lot like her own and Shippou's hair. 

          Kagome felt rather then heard the soft breathing as Inumaru smelled her pushing his face as close to her as he possibly could his small hands and arms barely fitting around her waist; chubby little hands clenching her skirt tightly as if afraid to let go. 

          "Inumaru, daijoubu ka?" Kagome questioned gently coaxing the child to look up at her. Her hand gently passed over his tattered ear and Kagome's face crumpled whishing she could have spared him that pain. 

          As the kid raised his face so that he was looking strait up, Kagome saw such a deep affection in his golden eyes it nearly knocked the breath from her lungs. He smiled up at her showing his little fangs as he mouth stretched back in a small yawn. Kagome chuckled at his cute expression, a maternal love warming her insides as Inumaru cut of his yawn by shaking his head from side to side his floppy ear making a soft flapping sound. After he'd finished his yawn he looked back up at her and Kagome smiled patting his head.

          "Better?" 

          Inumaru nodded his head enthusiastically before placing it back against her belly, pulling her closer again. The action brought a snort of disgust from Inuyasha as he turned his head away from the touching moment. Kagome was almost certain he was still watching from the corner of his eye as he had a tendency to do after pretending not to care. 

          "I'm fine, it's just…" Inumaru's voice trailed off and Kagome tilted her head to the side inquiring as to why he had the sudden urge for attention. She hadn't even finished getting her words out of her mouth then Inuyasha jumped into the conversation, his voice sharp and harsh from his jealous state. 

          "Yeah! Why the hell are you clinging to Kagome like that you baka gaki!" His mocking tone made the small boy flinch and Kagome could feel the soft rumble as Inumaru attempted to growl.

          Kagome closed her eyes as malicious thoughts of seriously hurting Inuyasha filtered through her mind.

_Do not sit him… can not sit him… Kagome count to ten, do not sit the annoying baka, you don't want to hurt the kid do you? No, so you can not, will not, sit the hanyou._

          Kagome took a deep breath closing her eyes repeating the thought like a mantra even as the phrase burned its way up her throat begging her to say the word. 

          "Be-Da!" Inumaru's tongue shot out as he made a face from around her side at Inuyasha, the noise snapping her eyes open and dissolving the urge to say _the word_. 

          Inuyasha took offense at the childish response and stood sputtering behind her as Inumaru scrunched his face up tight and stuck his tongue out as far as he could before burying his face back into the softness of her school shirt rubbing his face into her once more.

          "Because she smells nice, baka!" Inumaru's muffled voice drifted from someplace in her belly but it was loud enough for everyone to hear it. Kagome turned bright red, mind recalling a similar comment made by another hanyou as he lay poisoned in her lap. 

          Inuyasha jumped back arms in the air like he'd been accused of the same urges to touch her. Kagome could just imagine the look on his face from the laughing fit Miroku and Sango had fallen into. Kagome couldn't push the blush from her face and blinked rapidly wanting to look at Inuyasha but at the same time not wanting to be anywhere near him in her embarrassed state. 

A sharp chill shot down her spine as a familiar throb of power made itself known to her, calling to her like it was a piece of herself. Kagome straitened up all thoughts of embarrassment gone. She didn't notice as Inumaru also pulled away from her going rigid as well before looking in the same direction the pull came from, his single good ear standing erect and tilted in its direction.

          Kagome turned around to Inuyasha her brown eyes dead serious causing him to loose his comedic blush and flustered appearance. His voice was serious as he asked her what was wrong, any other time, the soft caring in his voice would have made her heart flutter, but the insistent call kept her from even noticing Inuyasha's tone.

          "I sense a Shikon shard." 

**********

            The midday sun slanted down upon the open valley surrounded by the lush forests of the northern territory of Japan. The leaves beginning to loose their vibrant green color as the cooler temperature from the north and the onset of fall quickly approached. A single spring in the center of the forest fed the small brook that ran through the deep valley giving life to the tall grass that waved gently in the wind. But all of this was over looked by the people and demons locked head to head in a battle in the dead center of this calm and peaceful valley. 

          The giant centipede in the center swayed back and forth spewing some sort of toxic acid that melted and or burned all that it touched leaving little time for the small group to fight back as they where kept busy dodging each lethal spray the disgusting creature let loose. 

          It was amazing the stupid creature had even managed to get its hands, or rather its pinchers, on a piece of the jewel, let alone hold on to it if the only powers it had gained was the annoying ability to repeatedly hack up over-sized lugies and make a hell of a lot of noise.

          Inuyasha snorted in annoyance as another opening was missed because of the annoying green muck being fired in all directions. Tetsuiaga's weight and the smell of the Kaze no Kizu urged him on to attack but he held back waiting for an opportune moment, in other words; a moment when the damn thing took a break from puking up acid, so that he could cut its sorry ass in two. 

          Out of the corner of his eye he kept track of where Miroku and Sango moved and attacked from. 

Over the time they'd been together, the three had managed to, unwittingly, form a battle strategy and each played out a specific role giving enough time for each to complete their task. It worked nearly ninety percent of the time, and Inuyasha had come to rely on their working unit more then he'd like to admit. 

          Sango blocked a particularly nasty batch of liquid with her Hiraikotsu, as Miroku dashed in to strike at the Centipedes lower body, not daring to attack its head after a near death experience earlier when the demon showed how, exactly, its speed had increased. 

          The strike did little but draw its attention away from Sango and over to him allowing Kirara to escape to a safer area with Kagome and the two pups. It left him his opportunity to strike. 

_Here we go!_

          Leaping into the air, Inuyasha swung down with Tetsuiaga. It would have been perfect had the Youkai not noticed his approach. As it was the damn thing turned just before Inuyasha could complete the Kaze No Kizu, instead smacking his precious fang against the armored skin on its sickly-red colored head, sending sparks flying through the air as it flung Inuyasha backward. 

          "Inuyasha!" Kagome's worried cry was his only warning to the approaching danger; he took a guess and twisted in mid air, the usual rush of adrenalin flowing through him at the feeling of control he had while in the air. It must have been his human side that enjoyed the power and freedom of movement and control over the elements he had in his demon form that caused that reaction. 

The acid burned through his sleeve and stung at his skin as it brushed by him, barely making contact. And Inuyasha kicked himself mentally for not being cautious and letting his mind wander off.

          As he fell through the air, descending toward the ground, Sango took her turn sailing her Hiraikotsu managing to split the centipede's side slightly as it swayed just out of reach. Inuyasha cursed under his breath as Miroku ran to aid the Youkai Taiji tackling her in an attempt to push the both of them out of harms way, the bone boomerang crashed into the ground on its return course, too far out of reach to be any use. 

          "Miroku! Sango!" The cry tore from Inuyasha's throat as the Youkai sent out another batch of killer saliva. His heart leaped in fear as he realized that they where open to the attack and he was too far away to aid. 

          "Go!" Kagome's voice cut through the air as her arrow flew by, her miko power flaring brightly around it as it struck the ground, imbedding itself just in front of Miroku and Sango. The purification power flared to shield both of their friends as the acid was purified leaving nothing left of the nasty stuff, before the power faded out, its work done,

          Inuyasha swung his gaze back to Kagome as she sat, still posed in the firing shot, her face scrunched into a glare of concentration as she sat astride Kirara. 

He smiled in her direction as he landed on the sold ground. She was alone on Kirara's back, probably having climbed aboard in order to get a better shot, leaving the pups safely hidden. She was the other part to the battle plan, the trump card, she was the one left in case of an emergency, the one who covered there asses as well as gave them the opening they needed to attack. 

          Inuyasha smirked as the centipede took the bait, shooting streams of poison in her direction. Kirara gracefully dodged each attack, Kagome holding tightly to the fire cat ducking low with practiced ease. Briefly, Inuyasha regretted her action knowing that she'd learned to fight out of necessity, and he deeply regretted having her placed in such danger, but it had been her choice and as long as she stayed he'd be there to help her as well.  

_Arigato Kagome!_

          Inuyasha rushed forward drawing Tetsuiaga back ready to complete the battle, get the damn shard, and pound the pup into the forest floor for ruining his time with Kagome. Inuyasha snarled as he recalled the lost moment, he'd been glad it had been interrupted, but he was nearly positive the pup had interrupted them on purpose. 

_Annoying, goddamned little brat! 'She smells nice baka!" suck up! Keh!_

          The centipede was still occupied with trying to shoot the flying Kirara and Kagome from the sky, and gave him a free shot for his attack. Grinning in feral ferocity, Inuyasha leapt into the air arching his fang down calling upon its hidden power. He briefly registered on the fact that Miroku and Sango had left the destruction zone, clearing the way for him to finish the battle.

          "Kaze no-" Inuyasha's throat tightened up just as his sword came perpendicular to his body. A small form leaped into his path of travel, the dark haired pup leaped up completely unaware of the danger, bringing his claws down to take a swipe at the monster. 

          All sound seemed to drain away as Inuyasha saw the danger ahead. His mind barely registered on Kagome's fearful cry as he drew closer to the child. Her cry must have gotten the pup's attention as well as the Youkai's, for the pup turned around to face him, his small golden eyes going wide in fearful realization, Not noticing as the giant bug swung around, arching its body back, preparing to attack them both. 

          Everything happened at once, barely a blur to him; time had slowed down and then sped up till he couldn't even remember throwing Tetsuiaga from himself and incasing the small pup in his arms, pulling the small form close to his chest and twisting in mid air so that he landed on his back first, before he was send rolling for several feet, just barely missing the acid shot their way. 

          Tetsuiaga clattered to the ground next to him with a metallic clang, smoke rising from the ancient blade as it transformed back into a rusted piece of metal. 

          Although he watched it happen, he didn't see it. Inuyasha was shaking from his efforts his mind focused on the small body held tightly against his own, the soft fluttering of the pup's heart, _his _pup's heart, beating as fast as his was. 

          Slowly his senses returned, until he could smell the grass that had engulfed them completely covering them from the world around them, the pup's scent as he lay curled on his side securely wrapped in Inuyasha's arms. Then his hearing returned bringing with it the heavy breathing, both his own and the pup's. As he brought his ears back up from their laid back position he could hear the battle cries of Miroku and Sango, then the sickening sound of tearing flesh and the dieing shriek as the Youkai died. 

          Inumaru jumped and pulled closer to Inuyasha at the hair-raising cry, and instinctively Inuyasha pulled him closer protecting him further. He rested on full alert a few more moments until he was sure the danger was gone. When no noise came Inuyasha released a heavy breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and relaxed his death grip allowing his eyes to close focusing his mind soul-y on the person in his arms. 

_He's alive, I didn't kill him, he's safe… he's safe…_

          The soft sound of Inumaru's heartbeat soothed over Inuyasha's frazzled nerves and allowed him to calm, his instincts releasing their adamant hold on him. He didn't move when the sound of his friend's foot falls grew closer (still in the process of calming down) but as soon as the pup began to push against him, struggling to get up, the content feeling burned away as his anger rose. 

          In one fluid motion he'd risen to his feet, Inumaru hanging from the front of his shirt, his small hands resting against Inuyasha's much larger ones, small golden eyes wide in startled fear as he looked up into Inuyasha's angry molten gaze. 

          "You god damned, fucking idiot! What in all the seven hell's do you think you where doing?!" Inuyasha yelled at the top of his lungs, not caring if he was scaring or hurting the boy's still healing ear, nor noticing as Kagome stopped her hurried approach (as well as the other's) at his angry outburst. 

          Inuyasha didn't care in the slightest, he was scared and that was a feeling he did not like at all. Half of his emotions he couldn't even understand but he knew the cold feeling of fear and it only fueled his anger.  

          Inumaru's frightened face, as he struggled in his iron grip, made Inuyasha's stomach clench and knot up with the conflicting feelings of guilt and gratification. In his annoyance he flung the child to the ground, not caring how hard he did so. The kid landed on his backside, before flopping onto his side from the impact. 

          "You could have been killed, do you know that? If I hadn't stopped I would have blasted your happy ass into a million fucking pieces! What the hell where you thinking? You're too weak to fight! Get that?! You're claws barely scratch and your puny size can't do a hell of a lot!" 

          Kagome gasped from behind him, but Inuyasha didn't stop, couldn't stop. Someone had to get through to the whelp before he wound up killing himself or worse. Inumaru's eyes where bright with his hurt and glassy with what Inuyasha assumed to be tears. He felt a slight bit of remorse but shoved it aside as his pained and scared heart continued to pound within his chest reminding him of what nearly happened. 

          "Inuyasha, stop!" Kagome cried from behind him as she ran forward toward Inumaru, finally regaining her commanding confidence in her need to save Inumaru. Inuyasha growled low and shot her a glare that made her freeze even before he shot his arm out to block her from the pup. 

          "No! The whelp needs to know his place, and it ain't fighting!" Again he turned his eyes on Inumaru whose panicked look had morphed in to a look of bitter hate. 

          "Look, Pup, stay back out of the way where it's safe! Or next time I won't save your puny ass, I'll let Tetsuiaga carve you up, get it!" 

          A collective gasp went up at his words as well as another sharp exclamation from Kagome. Inuyasha all but ignored it and continued to glare at the angry pup. 

          He could hear Inumaru's half attempt at a growl as Inumaru rose to his feet, his whole body trembling. He stood his whole height, challenging Inuyasha in authority. 

          The action made a sharp thrill of rage well up inside Inuyasha. He released low growl as he rose to his full stature ordering the pup to back down and heed his order. For a moment everything went silent, no one moved and then from one moment to the next, Inumaru had turned and bolted into the forest as fast as he could go, the salty sent of tears wafting back on the breeze to Inuyasha's sensitive nose.

          Inuyasha again felt the sting of remorse, his mind bringing back unwanted memories of similar lessons and hurt, but he didn't back down. His shoulders slumped forward and he lowered his head hiding behind his long bangs. 

          His ears flicked forward as Shippou bounded through the grass up to where Inumaru had been standing. The Kit was crouched on all fours, his pale cream tail raised in hope. After a few moments the fluffy appendage sank, slowly, until it brushed the ground in depression. 

          Inuyasha had long lost sight and sound of the fleeing pup. He doubted Shippou could fair any better even with his full Youkai heritage. He heard the soft sob escape Shippou's lips as the Kit shook uncontrollably. Inuyasha's shoulders tensed at the sound, finally feeling a little bit of guilt for his actions. If nothing else, the pup had been Shippou's one true friend. Sure the annoying kitsune had Kirara and the rest of their group for company, but it wasn't the same as having someone your age, someone who could understand you and you could understand them. 

_Gomen__ ne, Shippou._

          Inuyasha turned as the sobs Shippou made grew louder, head still lowered and walked in the opposite direction. Kagome stood motionless as he brushed by her, her eyes wide in shock. It wasn't till he bent over and wrapped his callused hand around the soft, worn handle of Tetsuiaga that Kagome managed to bring herself back to her senses. 

          Inuyasha heard the squeak of her shoe in the grass as she turned around to face him, her voice somewhat less commanding then normal. "Inuyasha! Go after him!" 

          He froze a moment before lifting his sword up and sliding it back into its sheath. It made soft keening sound before the soft clack as it slid home, its power concealed in the small form. 

          "Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice had gained back its authoritative ring and he cringed at its sound. "He's a kid, Inuyasha! He didn't mean to do anything wrong! We have to go get him before something happens to him!" 

          Inuyasha felt a bolt of cold go through his chest in realization, that once again, he'd forgotten how small the child truly was. His own words rang in his ears, their cruelty and similarity to ones he himself had heard at one point in his lifetime, sent his stomach strait through to the floor. He felt violently sick as his mind recalled his first moments on his own.

          The warmth of the fire called him back from the black abyss, and slowly Inuyasha curled toward it realizing for the first time that he was no longer in the tepid waters of the river. His eyes snapped open and slowly focused on a small fire burning before his eyes, the flames dancing high releasing its glowing embers like small fireflies to drift gently to the ground. His golden eyes fallowed their movements tiredly. His body felt tired and weak, but warm, and oddly dry. 

          A small movement of his head allowed him to feel the soft brush of fur against his cheek. Surprised he looked down, still too tired to really move. He was wrapped in some kind of white furry blanket. It smelled musky and male, but the scent was oddly soothing and he couldn't place why the smell made him both happy and mad all at once. 

          He moved his arm to grasp the warm softness closer to his body and wasn't really surprised to find himself naked. If he'd been clothed he'd still be cold and wet. He barely recalled seeing his clothes hung over the fire on a high spit as if someone was trying to quickly dry the clothing for him, mother often did that with his clothes saying in a calm soothing voice, "The fur of the Fire-Rat, is immune to fire and man made weapons. The only real way to dry the clothes is to hang them above a dying fire to allow the fur to regain its elemental power." The words made little sense to him but the thought had stayed with him. 

          He rolled into the fur breathing in deeply his vision blurring out and came to rest on a man sitting by the fire, long silvery hair glowing in the firelight. His royal clothes looked soft and warm even with the harsh battle armaments attached across his chest, claw like protrusions looking deadly in the firelight. He turned to regard Inuyasha with sad golden eyes. 

          He rose in a single fluid motion and knelt beside Inuyasha, he could clearly see the dark purple streaks running across Youkai's face as the man reached across him to pull the furry tail closer around Inuyasha's tiny shoulders. 

          Inuyasha shivered and the man raised a thin eyebrow and placed a cool hand to his forehead, the action almost kind. After a moment he pulled his hand back and then sighed, his golden orbs closing. 

          Inuyasha watched him carefully, trying to recall who the person was some how his presence was both alarming and calming, and he had the bizarre urge to throw his arms around the Youkai's neck and sob. 

          But before he could think anymore on it, the man had wrapped his arms securely around Inuyasha's small blanketed body and lifted him into those strong arms. Inuyasha felt warm and safe as the man reseated himself beside the fire still cradling Inuyasha's pale form gently against his body. 

          Inuyasha stared at the man even as his body cried out for sleep, he knew this demon but he couldn't place it. He thought the man hadn't noticed him but was proven wrong when a deep rumbling voice told him to sleep, that no demons would find him there. He never looked down when he spoke to Inuyasha, but somehow Inuyasha found himself comforted and curled against the warmth he offered and let himself sink back into the black abyss. 

          Inuyasha shook his head violently, throwing the childhood memory back into his subconscious where it belonged, before he could recall the morning after that little scene. 

          "Keh!" Inuyasha huffed turning his head toward the open plain with a snort and a glare.

A soft wind made the tall stalks of grass dance slowly on the breeze making the shallow valley look like a small green ocean. The sun had been blocked by the few clouds that dotted the sky, It made the whole picture depressing.

 Sesshoumaru had promptly told him the next morning how much he hated him and how next time he'd let the human's and Youkai tear his hide apart as he'd deserved for being a weak pathetic hanyou. Inuyasha had fled from the sanctuary of the clearing in tears, remembering why he hated his brother so much after Sesshoumaru had finished bad-mouthing his mother.  

_Stupid Bastard! … _

_"You could have been killed, do you know that? If I hadn't stopped I would have blasted your happy ass into a million fucking pieces! What the hell where you thinking? You're too weak to fight! Get that?! You're claws barely scratch and your puny size can't do a hell of a lot!"_

_"Look, Pup, stay back out of the way where it's safe! Or next time I won't save your puny ass, I'll let Tetsuiaga carve you up, get it!"_

          Inuyasha's glare faded away as his own words filtered back into his mind immediately fallowed by guilt for the look on the child's face as the pup had bolted. 

_… I'm no better then he is… Kuso!_

          Inuyasha turned to try and find the pup (before he did something extremely stupid) and came face to face with a glaring Kagome. Inuyasha jumped and stepped back sweat forming on his brow. He knew that look. 

          "Inuyasha…" 

          With a strangled cry he flung his arms up to try and cover his ears but was a few moments too late.

          "Osuwari!"

          The forest shook with his impact, sending birds into flight, startled by the sudden shifting of their homes and the foul, loud cursing of a mal-tempered Hanyou. 

**********

          The sun was setting on the horizon and still they hadn't found any trace of the small child. Kagome hugged her arms tight trying to keep warm and called out again into the forest.

          "Inumaru! Where are you?!" She wasn't shocked that Inuyasha couldn't smell the boy. After his odd behavior and bizarre command, no one dared to chase after Inumaru with out Inuyasha's consent. It was almost like he'd become the pack leader, and his domineering presence left no room to argue.  

          Kagome shivered at the memory, his look had been down right commanding and she found herself helpless against him. Even Shippou had obeyed. 

          Kagome looked around the clearing her worry growing with each moment that passed by. It was growing late and Inumaru was a small child, alone in the middle of a forest filled with demons that would like to eat him alive. Somehow Kagome got the impression that Inumaru had grown up spoiled in the form of ignorance, not understanding how cruel the world could really be, and his ignorance could be his death.

          Kagome's eyes were drawn to a flash of red and she focused her eyes on Inuyasha's form. With her heart pounding so furiously in her chest, she felt a deep anger well up and she wanted to scream her head off and sit Inuyasha into doggie heaven.

_Or perhaps hell, at least Kikyou would be happy, I'd be doing her a favor. _

          With a sigh Kagome stepped forward calling out again. The silence that fallowed made her insides turn to ice as her nerves became painfully sensitized in the cooling night air. It looked as if it might rain, and again Kgome's heart lurched.

 Inuyasha remained in front of her, and Kagome felt more anger rise. They'd split up to cover more ground pairing off into two's Shippou taking to the air with Kirara, Sango and Miroku searching in one direction, and her and Inuyasha searching the other. And Inuyasha didn't seem to care at all that it was getting late and that the kid was missing because of _his_ stupid words. 

          "You know, this is all your fault!"

          Inuyasha didn't respond as he stepped around a tree still smelling the forest floor for any trace of Inumaru. Kagome didn't much care either that he'd all but ignored her. She needed to yell at someone, to ease her own fear and at the moment (being able to speak up against Inuyasha on Inumaru's behalf now that she wasn't frozen in shock or whatever had held her in her place). 

          "Six years old, my little brother is older then him! He's out here all alone trying to save his mommy, and looks up to you only for you to snap at him and beat him down for trying. My God Inuyasha He's a little child! He's a baby!"

          "I know!" Inuyasha barked out and Kagome jumped at its suddenness and intensity. His shoulder's where tense and he looked like he was in pain. 

Kagome placed her hands on her hips annoyed that he had snapped at her, her own temper flaring to life at his challenging tone.

          "Then why'd you do it?" 

          For a long time Inuyasha was silent, then as if he was as old as Kaede, Inuyasha sat down his words barely above a whisper. "I was afraid." 

          His confession brought her up short. It was rare that Inuyasha ever admitted to being wrong and Kagome let her arms drop to her sides as understanding settled in. 

"… It wasn't some angry human or demon… It was me… my sword. I could have killed him…" 

          Kagome slumped her shoulder's forward feeling a little reproachful about her words to him. She understood him she'd just done the same thing he had, struck out because she was scared. Kagome walked up behind Inuyasha and sat down, leaning her head on his back, her hands resting in a half hug on his shoulders. 

_Inuyasha.___

          He seemed to lean back a bit, his way of thanking her for her understanding. He didn't seem like he was going to say anything more, but the bitterness in his tone made Kagome certain he needed to get it out. 

          "You understand him, don't you?" Kagome gently prodded looking out into the fading sunset, the scenery reminding her of another moment quite like this one: Inuyasha was hurting and denying every bit of it, even as he ripped himself apart for the blood that soaked his claws; human blood.

          "Human's never liked me… after… mother… they chased me down… made me bleed. I jumped into a river to escape and cover my scent." His voice was nearly emotionless as if he was reading the story from a book, but it still made Kagome tense and hold him a little closer in an attempt to ease his pain. 

          One of his clawed hands came back to hold her own, as he continued, it was the most detail she'd ever gotten out of him about his past, and the fact he was telling her, trusting her, was not lost to Kagome. 

          "Sesshoumaru fished me out and cared for me. But the next morning he threw me aside, telling me he'd never help me again, and that I deserved to die with my whorish mother." 

          Kagome gasped at the show of charity from his brother and then from his bipolar words. Inuyasha's hand had tightened painfully around her own, but Kagome didn't say anything. She only bit her lip and held him tightly; tears blurring her eyes for his losses. 

          "I'm no better then him." Inuyasha's fierce admonition made Kagome jump. She leaned away to argue but Inuyasha held her hand and wouldn't let her go continuing quickly, so she couldn't say a thing. "I threatened him, and said all those things to him after I let him get hurt. It's my fault he's even in the condition he is in. I kicked him out of my room. I saw him cry … on me and I—I...kicked him out." Inuyasha's hand was shaking on her own, his self-loathing to much for him to bare. 

          Kagome's eyes softened and she leaned back against him pulling her free arm all the way around his body to hold him in a tight embrace. She could feel him tense beneath her hold but only squeezed tighter burying her face into his hair and neck. 

          "You're nothing like him, Inuyasha. You reacted out of fear, and whether or not you'd sent Inumaru out, he still would have been hurt." 

Again, silence fallowed, she could imagine Inuyasha's pained face and knew he didn't believe her words but held him close anyway letting him know with speaking that she was there for him, still. That she forgave him even if he didn't forgive himself. 

Somehow she knew he understood.

**********

          The forest was dark; trees taking on the mindless shapes of shadows from the deep recesses of nightmares, their thick branches and wide leaves looking more ominous and foreboding then the demons they housed.  

          Soft forest sounds echoed in the still and swampy air, the pungent smell of mud, mold, and growth hung heavy from the branches like the leaves hugged the tree limbs. 

          A sharp splash of water interrupted the stillness of the darkening forest, the muddied water flying up to speckle the soft crimson red haiori and hakama as Inumaru's feet crashed into the muck. 

          His lungs burned with his labored breaths, his cheeks where heated as he cried out through his parched throat. Angry tears rolled down his face creating cold streaks. He choked on his own cries throwing his arms out to his sides as he ran, his small size hampering his agility and he tripped over an upturned root. Inumaru flew forward with a sharp cry landing on his stomach on the half sodden path he'd been fallowing. 

          The air was forced from his body, and he curled his hands around his head sobbing into the mud he was covered in. His tiny claws dug into his scalp as he fisted his hands in his hair.

_Damn you! I hate you, I'm not too little! I will save Moma! I … can do it… I don't need… I don't…_

          Inumaru raised his head, his golden eyes bright and glassy. His face was smudged with dirt and red from his crying. Big tears dripped from his eyes and rolled down his rounded cheeks (still plump from baby fat) to gather at the bottom of his chin. 

          "Papa…" Inumaru whimpered as his face screwed up into a painful grimace. His eyes closed tightly squeezing more water from his eyes, Inumaru opened his mouth and howled in pain curling up in himself brokenly sobbing reaching out for his father. 

          "Papa! Moma!" 

          The unnerving cries where swallowed into the forest, now silent, the sky turning a blood red making the trees look black. In the center of this darkness Inumaru cried for all things lost, unaware that he himself was lost. He couldn't hear the desperate cries calling out to him (his good ear pressed firmly to the ground.) 

          Moments dragged on for hours, and after a time, Inumaru's sobs calmed until he had no energy left to even move, his honey colored eyes dazed and unfocused, staring into a happier time.

          He'd reached the numb stage when one gives up on everything. Inumaru couldn't see the dark outline of the trees and blood red sky, his mind was engulfed the warm golden memory of summer, he could see his home, its tall warm walls and spiritual ora that surrounded the area of their shrine. 

          "Inumaru!"

He could hear his mother's sweet voice as she called out his name, her eyes bright with life as she laughed at his actions.

"Moma…" Inumaru's lips hardly moved as he was trapped in the warmth of his past.

The sun was warm on his back and lit up the forest beside his home. Inumaru was bouncing with energy, ecstatic to be in the forest named after his father. He was hardly allowed to go into the woods at all, and when he did go it as only to travel to the village and back, and he was never alone. 

But Moma had given him a great task, he was to go into the forest and find his father and bring him back for lunch. Inumaru practically bounced with joy. There where so many different smells and the wild freedom that surrounded his spirit threatened to sweep him away. 

He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he passed through the dappled sunlight of the god tree. A strong sense of power hit him and he couldn't help but stare up at the giant tree in wonder, eyes lingering on the spot where the bark seemed to be burned away. It would never grow back, he knew that somehow that fact was important but he couldn't place why. 

Intrigued, he lifted himself up onto the higher roots pulling his way up to the trunk. The bark was ruff against his skin slightly scraping his skin, but he wanted to touch the tree and by all that was in him, he was going to do it. 

          Finally, managing to stagger onto the thick root he sat breathing hard for a moment enjoying the sounds of the forest around him. The soft crooning of the birds made him smile, his tiny nose crinkling up as he made a face. 

          He stood back up, dusting his butt off, proud to finally be able to wear his very own fire-rat Kimono, it had taken him forever to grow into it, the last thing he wanted was for it to be ruined. 

          He then fixed his gaze onto the dead spot on the tree. Tottering forward, he found it too difficult to walk upright so bent at the waist and crawled up on all fours until his could wrap his arms onto the trunk. He rose to his feet and stretched his arm up. His baggy sleeve slumped back up to his shoulder, dragging his white under yukatta down with it. 

          He strained upward pulling his finger taunt and raising up onto his tip-toes. He was still just a few inches short. With a small growl, he stuck his tongue out the side, daring to try and jump that last few inches. 

          He bent his knees and then sprang up slapping his palm against the smooth surface of the tree. A grin spread over his face at his triumph, but as he slid back down his hand caught on a sharp protruding sliver of wood.

          His eyes widened in pain as he jerked his hand back, cursing out loud at the pain that coursed through his hand. Inumaru lifted his hand to his mouth sucking on his injury. 

          "Inumaru, what did your mother say about swearing?" Inumaru's ears stuck strait up as he whipped around, smiling around his hand.

          "Papa!" Inumaru jumped up and leaped into his father's arms burying his face into his chest and smelling him. He smelled like the old well his Moma and Papa where building the mini shrine around. 

          It was an unnerving smell that haunted his mother and father. Inumaru wondered why the well was so important but no one told him why beside the fact that it had the ability to send a young woman through time. 

          He lounged in his father's arms for a moment until he remembered why he was alone in the woods. He pulled back a ways a smile on his face, his arms still wrapped around his fathers neck. 

          "Moma sent me out to tell you lunch was ready!" Inumaru cried happily cocking his head to one side. His father smiled and shifted Inumaru so that he was sitting on his shoulder. The movement made Inumaru's hand sting and he yelped out in pain yanking his hand to his mouth again. 

          "What did you do to your hand?" The deep timbre of his father's voice made his ears tingle, and Inumaru found himself wondering if his voice would one day be that deep. 

          "Got a sliver, baka tree!" Inumaru stuck his tongue out at the god tree as if to prove his point.  "Wanna see?" Inumaru shoved his hand into his father's face for him to inspect it. 

          His father's hand wrapped around his smaller hand and Inumaru couldn't help but notice how big his father really was. It was a little scary, wondering if he'd ever be able to match up to his father, and if his father would be proud of him.

          "hmm." Inuyasha wrapped his hands around Inumaru's waist lifting him from his shoulder to set him on a stone marker. His parents had set them every hundred feet or so from the well to the house after he was born. 

          Again his father inspected his injury, his claw running over the wound, gently pulling the wood chip from the skin. Inumaru watched his mouth open as his father used his claws to remove the offending wood. 

          "There." Inuyasha smirked up at his son, turning his hand from side to side. Inumaru smiled pulling his hand back to inspect it. It still stung and Inumaru couldn't help but ease it with his tongue. 

          "Hey, if I can't do that you can't either!" Inuyasha gently pulled his hand away from his mouth giving him a stern look. Mother was always complaining about how un-clean it was, to lick your wounds, and she insisted on using her medicine that only made the pain worse. 

          Inumaru made a face at his dad, making the larger hanyou laugh. "Trust me, I don't like it anymore then you do." His father then lifted him back up and onto his shoulder walking back toward the house. Inumaru could smell his mother's cooking and his mouth watered. She'd made fried eggs again. 

          Inumaru blinked his eyes and focused on his surroundings. The dark trees were not what he remembered in his mind, and the chill air made his body ache. He snuffed back more tears and caught a distant smell. It made his nose burn and his stomach clench. 

_I know that smell… _

          Inumaru froze and breathed in deeply trying to recall where exactly he'd smelt that particular stench before. His heart beat sped up and the hairs on his arms rose, where ever he'd smelt it, it had not been good.

          Inumaru's eyes shot open in recognition as a soft breeze wafted from that direction. _The hut! That was the smell that surrounded the hut I was trapped in!_

          Panic set in for a moment and all of his muscles locked in place, the pain still to fresh in his mind for him to deal with. He would have stayed that way for a long time had he not felt the faint pull of power, the flickering sensation of battle that always came with the presence of the Shikon shards. 

          Instantly, Inumaru's eyes set in a firm glare as he pushed himself up from the forest floor, readying his body for its next move. The need to save his mother outweighed his fear. His small arms shook as he fisted his hands at his sides.

_Alright, here I come you bastard! I'll show him! I'll show Inuyasha that I can to fight! I can and will save Moma!_

          Inumaru leaped into the air and rebounded awkwardly off of a tree trunk, the wind whistled through his ears his wounded ear flapping lifelessly. The leaves barely made a sound as he fell through them landing on all fours in front of the foul smelling demon. 

          The impact on the ground hurt his still aching muscles more then he wanted to admit. Inumaru cringed but shook off the pain looking up at the youkai with more jewel shards then he could count. In fact the youkai, no, hanyou before him had something completely different from a few measly shards. The power felt more rounded, he could almost picture it in his mind, as if the weird hanyou crouched in a white baboon pelt had the whole Shikon no tama. 

          The hanyou looked surprised at his entrance, and Inumaru felt somewhat cocky at having caught the creature off guard. The baboon looked at him with wide, blood red eyes and looked back through the trees as if trying to piece together what had just transpired. Inumaru couldn't help but smirk. 

_Inuyasha, eat your heart out. _

          "So, you've noticed me?" His voice as surprisingly soft, like the fur of Inumaru's uncle's Tail. And Inumaru was almost lulled into a calm state by its smoothness. 

          At his question Inumaru rolled his eyes. _No, you've only been tracking us since we left that damn village, but I didn't sense a thing… Baka! _

          Inumaru released a growl, attempting to be intimidating and he raised hackles, the small hairs along his back standing on end. The creature's lip turned up and he lifted his hands up in a peaceful gesture, fully facing him. 

          "I'm of no threat, little one, I was merely watching you. I was startled as I was passing through and stayed to make sure you'd be safe." 

          Inumaru snorted at the insult to his age and ability, his small ego still wounded from the lack of faith his father had in him. He snorted and stood up unconsciously wiping the dirt from his knees. 

          The baboon's smile grew with the action, and Inumaru felt that he was once again being insulted somehow. So, with the speed of a wounded ego the pup covered his nose with both his hands, fisting them together in an attempt to block out the vapors. 

          "You smell like crispy-fried monkey."  Inumaru smiled evilly behind his hands as the smile faded from the baboon's face, his eyes looking gravely insulted. 

_Be-da! I dare you to insult me again Baboon-sama. _

          After gloating for a moment Inumaru decided to cut to the chase, saddened that the 'man-in-monkey's-clothing' had regained his smile after a few moments of silence. 

          Inumaru's insides were twisting into knots and his throat had dried out, but he didn't know why. He swallowed hard trying to sooth his throat, but the tense and creepy feeling wouldn't leave him. All his instincts told him to run, but like his father he didn't rely on those to often.

          "So, why've you been fallowing us?" Inumaru asked his voice sounding like he'd just swallowed a frog. The baboon smiled at hi and chuckled, his furry shoulder's shaking with his humor. 

          Inumaru ducked down and into a semi crouched position, his claws spread wide ready for an attack. His ear folded back against his scalp and he snarled again, looking more like a wounded puppy then a fierce predator. 

          "I'm sorry, I should have known you'd have noticed. I'm just shocked that the older hanyou in your group did not notice my presence and yet you did." 

          Inumaru raised an eyebrow and lowered his defensive stance, the thought of Inuyasha bringing up more unwanted emotions and Inumaru crossed his arms defiantly over his chest and stuck his nose in the air. 

          "Feh! Like my Papa really pays attention to anything that's not beneficial to himself." Inumaru tried not to stumble over the larger word he'd heard his mother use once and hoped he'd used it properly. By the look on the Baboon's face he'd said something right. He was smiling, his white teeth showing clearly in the darkening night. 

          Inumaru shivered at its intensity and nearly jumped from his skin as the Baboon spoke again his voice still silky smooth and such a vast contrast to his ora it set Inumaru on edge. Uncomfortable making chit-chat with something with so many jewel pieces, but his mother had always told him knowledge is power, and if nothing else this chit-chat may at least show him how to approach the species-crossing, Cross-dresser. 

          "So, he's your father?" The information seemed to bring some sort of satisfaction to the baboon and Inumaru wondered if he should elaborate or not. "Not really, I'm not born for another eight years. I only came back to get the jewel shards." Inumaru muttered under his breath digging his toe into the ground. He wasn't surprised that the Baboon thought he was nuts, and by his expression he either thought Inumaru was insane or he was trying to figure out how all of it was possible. 

          "So, your mother would be the young miko he travels with then?"  The baboon asked a sneer on his face. Inumaru Looked at him and had to control his humor. If he hadn't told his own father who his mother was, he wasn't going to tell some psycho monkey lover. 

          "So, you would be fallowing us because…?" Inumaru asked purposely being rude, but the baboon got his message and laughed again, the sound slowly easing Inumaru's nerves and blinding him to his instincts. 

          "You won't tell me either way, will you?" 

          "Does it snow in hell?" 

          Again the baboon chuckled again and finally changed the topic much to Inumaru's relief. It was truly annoying, it seemed everyone wanted to know who his mother was, even strange monkey-psychos.

_Why the hell does anyone care who my Papa has me with? Geeze it's like grandma-Kaede said, when you grow up you get no privacy at all! _

          "Well, I'm from the Village you just left." Inumaru tensed back up and took a few steps back. When they'd left the village he'd promptly hidden his face in Kagome's shoulder and had her carry him out of the place, feeling the eyes of all those people burning holes into the back of his head. 

          Baboon kept talking but lowered his voice as if afraid to scare him further. "I was appalled at whet had happened to you while you where there and decided to watch over your group and make sure no other trouble befalls you." 

          Inumaru raised an eyebrow. The Baboon nodded slowly his smile still intact. Inumaru smiled back and nodded his head exaggeratedly slow.

_What the hell does he think I am, some stupid yearling? _

          Inumaru threw his head back and laughed, startling the other demon into silence and stillness. Inumaru held his sides as he laughed somewhat glad to be laughing again. 

          "Yeah, sure you are. And Angels will fly from my Papa's ass!" Again Inumaru giggled at the picture that would make. A big golden light filtering from his ass as beautiful angles flew off singing. 

          He rubbed his fists against his eyes and settled down as a yawn over took his tired form. The sun had set, and the air had chilled making Inumaru shudder slightly. 

          "Tired?" 

          Inumaru jumped and stood back up defiantly opening his eyes as wide as he could attempting to look more alert. Again, Baboon smiled and leaned back on his haunches, the blue baboon face looked spooky in the moon light, illuminating the blood red of the creatures eyes and reminding Inumaru of why he'd come here in the first place.

          "You reek of demon and you have a shit-load of jewel shards. So why don't you tell me why you're really here." Inumaru asked fixing the thing across from him with a scowl that proved he was Inuyasha's pup. 

          At first it looked as if he'd upset the baboon, then hanyou looking more like a nightmare as he sat crouched in the shadows of a dark tree glaring at Inumaru. 

Inumaru felt his stomach flop and his fear rise as he faced the danger before him. Again his gut told him to flee but his bullheadedness kept him where he was. He curled his toes into the dirt in order to ease the tension in his legs. 

Suddenly, the baboon broke into a smile and he spoke with the same lulling voice that reminded Inumaru of Kagome's voice before she sat Inuyasha. 

"You're very bright, young hanyou."

          Inumaru was puzzled by the compliment but didn't fight back, still waiting for his answer, hoping he'd like the response.  

          "Actually, I am from the village." Baboon spoke with a sadness that Inumaru felt he could understand. He still fixed him with a skeptical look waiting for more information, something he could believe.

          "So why didn't I see ya?" 

          He never missed a beat as he replied to Inumaru's challenge, "I was hiding. As you said I too am demon, and as you are well aware, that village does not take kindly to demons. Even half demons." 

          Inumaru's breath stalled. He could still feel the pain in his ribs as they beat him over and over again, for no other reason then he wasn't human. Inumaru trembled, recalling Shippou's reasoning for why they attacked demons. He felt pity for the Baboon, understanding why he'd hide benieth such a smelly stupid looking thing.

_Most likely mangled from living with the beatings… _

          Inumaru was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of thankfulness at living in such an excepting village. He suddenly wished to be back at Kaede's hut, the smell of old medicinal herbs and old human surrounding him. 

          "My mother had become ill and I tried to get the jewel to save her, but, while I was away she died. And now I'm all alone." 

          The words sent a sharp cold fear down Inumaru's spine, the words echoing through his mind. 

_… While I was away… _

          His mind brought forth the unwanted image of his mother as she was taken from him, the darkness pulling her away from him, leaving him alone with his demons. 

          He wasn't aware how pale he'd become or that he'd began to whimper until the Baboon calmly asked him if he was all right. The voice snapped him back, but his frantic eyes darted from side to side like a caged animal. 

          "M-…My Moma…. I came to save… my …" Inumaru couldn't keep the panic from his voice and started to hyper-ventilate.

          "Shh, calm now." The soothing voice helped ease him but only briefly before sending him back into a panicked state. He turned to the baboon eyes filled with tears, "Is my Moma going to die?!" 

          The Baboon seemed taken aback for a moment before raising another hand making a sitting motion, or a gesture to calm down. "Breathe, just breathe for a moment." 

          Inumaru nodded his head and complied swallowing big gulps of air and releasing it through his nose. Slowly, bit by bit, he began to calm until he was able to think clearly again. Inumaru was a little embarrassed at his out burst but covered it by looking the baboon strait in the eyes. He shivered at the penetrating gaze, but didn't back down. Surprisingly that fact made the other Yokai uneasy, and he glanced away.

          "You say you need the jewel to save your mother, right?" The baboon asked quietly, Inumaru nodded before realizing he probably didn't see the confirmation and spoke aloud, "Yes." 

          "All right then. I can help you." 

          Inumaru's eyes brightened at his proposition but still a little wary raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms across his chest.

          "How?" 

          "You bring me the jewel shards your companions and you collect and I'll combine them to mine, then once the jewel is completed I'll give it to you." He was smiling again and Inumaru felt oddly like he was being set up and charged in to defense.

          "How do I know you'll really give it to me? You could just run off with our jewel shards." Inumaru asked pushing his nose into the air. He closed his eyes as if the baboon wasn't worth facing. 

          A soft rustling of fabric alerted him to the movement and he peeked out of the corner of his eye to see what the baboon was up to, fearing he'd see that the creature had moved closer to him, and would be face to face with him, red eyes burning with hate with vicious fangs and claws. 

          What he saw made him turn around completely and stare in complete shock. In the palm of the Baboon's outstretched arm lay more then half of the completed jewel. 

          Inumaru blinked, then, blinked again. Looking back and forth between the baboon and the jewel fragments. "What are you-"

          "If you do not trust me, then I'll give you my shards now. I have no more use for them. But perhaps there is still time for you." His voice sounded sincere and Inumaru felt he could trust him, his act showing his truthfulness.

          Inumaru snorted smiling and turned his back on the baboon and took a step away until he heard the hanyou pull his arm back toward his body. The he turned a smug grin on his face. 

          "Feh. Alright, I'll trust ya. So what's your name? Monkey-Man?" Inumaru chuckled at his own joke not quite ready to fully trust the youkai before him. 

          "Why where you crying?" 

_Ouch! Well, I guess that makes us even monkey-man. _

          Inumaru pouted but excepted that the hanyou wasn't going to be baited and snapped out his own peace offering, "I asked you first." 

          The baboon's smile widened and he tilted his head to the side covering him in darker shadows of the night. 

          "Onigumo, and yours?" 

          Inumaru looked at his foot still a little apprehensive about his decision. _Oh stop it! He's going to help save Moma!_

          With renewed effort he raised his head and gave his name proudly, "Inumaru." 

          Onigumo repeated the Inumaru's name and then leaned back out into the lighted area, his blue baboon-mask shining in the moonlight. "So, tell me, Inumaru, why where you crying?" 

          Again Inumaru felt uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if he wanted to share such a deep and painful experience but acknowledged the fact that Onigumo had kept his end of the deal. 

          "Well, my Papa—no , Inuyasha yelled at me, and called me worthless and stupid, because I wanted to help them retrieve a jewel shard. Then he threatened to… to …" he swallowed hard feeling very betrayed and hurt, the angry words still ringing through his mind. 

_"Look, Pup, stay back out of the way where it's safe! Or next time I won't save your puny ass, I'll let Tetsuiaga carve you up, get it!"_

          A movement of white caught his eye and Inumaru looked up and saw Onigumo, his hand raised in a gesture of companion ship. "Well, then, Inumaru, it's nice to have a friend." 

          Inumaru stared at the hand, his eyes blurred from more tears and he scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand sniffling. When his vision had cleared he smiled up at Onigumo feeling for the first time hope that he might actually save his mother.

          "Hai!" Inumaru grasped Onigumo's hand and shook it firmly friendly smile and happy voice bright and unaware of the malicious grin that had worked its way up Onigumo's face, nor did he notice bees hovering just beyond the forests edge. 

          The nearly blackened moon rose into the sky, its dark shadow casting a darkness upon the forest below. Standing silent vigil over the partnership that had been made. A shooting star darted through the sky like a single tear of remorse in the quiet night. 

**A.N.**** First of all I'd like to apologize for such a late update. I had planned for it to be out before Christmas but was pulled into a lead role in my school's Madrigal Dinner, I was a jester and spend all of my evenings memorizing lines and skits, me and two others had to perform in multiple smaller acts as well as the main story line, so I was beat, then my friend whom I had not seen in a year came out to visit over winter break so again it was pushed back and it took forever to type up. So I am sorry again please forgive me. I extended the end a bit, otherwise it would have been up on Tuesday. But thank you for reading and I would like to say thanks for the reviews, if it weren't for those I wouldn't have even started it after winter break, Thank you so much!**

**Le-chan**


	5. Chapter 5: A Mother's Song Father's Doub...

**A.N. Hello! I'm back with chapter five, three more chapters and I'm halfway done… man I got to hurry my butt up! - Anyway, I'd like to say thank you for reviewing and reading my fic. A lot of people have given me some great reviews and have hit on a few of my subtle hints on who the mother is, and others have given me good plausible reasons as to why they think they know the answer. Just to let you know I will use references from the two movies I have seen of Inuyasha and most of the episodes I've seen in Japanese so if you don't understand something please write me at: and ask me and I'll explain. - All right, now on to my thanks! Kaye, Aewi, ShadowStalker2008, Fun-KillinReportCard, NeonDark, Pharaun, StarrFire, Sammie, Wingweaver, W?W?Su, Wolfdemon198, SilentSlayer, and Blood Unicorn 15. And I'd Like to Give a very BIG thanks to StarrFire for translating my song. Thank you so much you are the greatest!**

The Black Haired Hanyou

Chapter 5

The night was cold and dark, like the deepest depths of the ocean. The stillness of the forest as unsettling as the darkness and feeling of doom that clung to the air with each frigid breath that was drawn in and exhaled.

It was well into the night, the moon barely a sliver in the black sky, dark clouds rolling in from the west blocking out the stars and the sky. Inumaru stepped over the fallen tree in front of him, the bark cold and wet under his hands the slime dirtying his palms and his outer haiori and the knees of his hakama.

He was almost frightened in the dark, cold, silent forest. He didn't even have the soft sound of a cricket or a frog to calm his over alert senses. Onigumo had left him saying that he couldn't let Inuyasha know he was there, that Inuyasha and he where not on the best of terms. He hadn't elaborated on the issue but said that perhaps Inumaru shouldn't mention his name around anyone he traveled with.

_It's our secret. We'll steal the Shikon no Tama right from under Papa's nose. _

Some how the thought wasn't as appealing as he'd hoped it would be. Inumaru hugged himself as he slid down the other side of the log ruining the butt of his clothes but not really caring anymore. He was tired, cold, and felt down right dirty.

He didn't like the thought of not telling anyone about his new friend. He always was truthful to his Papa. Papa would be disappointed in him if he kept something from him.

_"Look, Pup, stay back out of the way where it's safe! Or next time I won't save your puny ass, I'll let Tetsuiaga carve you up, get it!"_

Inumaru growled and brought his head up high. That man was _not_ his Papa, so he had no business knowing what Inumaru was up too. Inumaru kicked a twig on the ground his eyes fixing on the mud that incased his feet and clothes.

His eyes softened as he wiggled his toes against the cold earth. Moma had worked so hard to make his clothes just for him. He'd begged and pleaded for the outfit, wore it even before he could fit into it, and now it looked like that. He sniffed, upset, his mind bringing up images and sorrowful thoughts that perhaps this was a symbol. If the clothes where ruined his mother was dead. He shook, scared beyond reason at his own morbid thoughts.

He grabbed his head shaking it hard, "No! Moma!"

He sank to his knees and pulled his hands from his head trying desperately to recall her face, voice, anything that would sooth his fears. He looked at his grubby hands, opening and closing them slowly. The soft squishing noise of the mud as it sank in between his fingers reminded him of splashing water. Distantly, like through a curtain of fog, he heard his mother's laughter surrounding him.

The room was bright and blurry, muffled noises all around him. The world was so big, and he was just learning how to crawl in it.

Warm water encased him in its hold as wet black curls swam around him. He grabbed a hand full of the silky strands and brought it to his mouth chewing on it with his milk teeth and gums.

"Inumaru, baby, no, we don't eat mommy's hair." The laughing sound and gentle hands eased the hair from being devoured, and he found his eyes locked onto his mother's face; her voice calming. He wished he could understand her, her words made little sense to him, but the voice she used made him smile and wave his small chubby arms.

His mother's own smile made him warm and he placed his head against her chest laying his hands on the place he fed from. He could hear a deep thrum from inside her and his eyes slid shut enjoying the sound.

He felt a large hand ease its way down his back and he purred happily. Opening his lazy golden eyes, he had to tilt his head all the way back to catch a glimpse of his father's face from where his Papa rested behind his Moma.

The tall man looked down on him with such soft proud eyes, his larger hand rising from Inumaru's back to softly stroke his small head, careful not to hurt his soft folded ears. His Papa crooned low in his chest, the sound so much deeper then his Moma's voice. Inumaru shivered and yawned looking up at the man with wide eyes.

The man only smiled, golden eyes filled with so much emotion it was hard to look away. Inumaru's eyes began to drift closed, and another puppy yawn escaped him.

Inumaru shook his head and nearly toppled over from the force. His mother's gentle hands steadied him and he looked up at her, his eyes crossed.

A loud bark of laughter startled Inumaru and he buried his tiny face into his mother's shoulder. After a moment his mother's voice took on a reprimanding quality and the laughing quieted and again Inumaru felt his father's hand on his head. He nuzzled into the palm leaning against it and finally allowing his body to rest.

He loved bath time, it was warm and tranquil; safe, as he rested in his mother's arms, she in his father's.

The smell of his parents surrounded him and he allowed his mind to shift out of consciousness, the moment becoming a fuzzy memory of his past as early dreams set in, like the memory, doomed to be all but forgotten in time.

"Inumaru!"

Inumaru's head shot up his tears shattering on the breeze as he whipped around; ears alert. Crouched on his toes, arms around his knees he sat, his heart pounding in his ears, hope filling him.

Silence fell again, and Inumaru whimpered burying his face in his knees. He was lost, he didn't want to admit it, but he was, and on top of that the other's had probably stopped looking for him.

Inumaru squeezed his arms tighter and pictured the small group in his mind. He missed Shippou. The Kit was fun to play with, now that he wasn't so much older then he was. And now, inumaru felt almost like he belonged or could actually grow into the man he wanted to become. If Shippou had done it, so could he.

But lost and alone, in the woods, now reminded him of how far he had left to go. His mind lingered over the faces of those he held dear. Kagome's face came to mind and stayed there, her comforting smile making him rock back and forth to try and comfort himself.

"Inumaru!" Again the sound of a feminine voice filtered over to him and this time Inumaru leaped to his feet, hope filling his chest with deep warmth, "Moma!" His voice was barely above a whisper as he listened in the quiet night.

"Inumaru!" The voice sounded again, fallowed quickly by a deeper more masculine bellow.

"Oi, Inumaru!"

He swallowed hard chocking back a sob at the sound of his hero's voice, forgetting completely how angry he was at the teen. Only one thought remained in his mind; his Papa was looking for him, his papa still cared.

"PAPA!" The cry tore from his throat as he bolted in the direction he heard the voice, his nose raising into the air catching the smell of the wild woods and winds.

He didn't hear the startled exclamation or the sound of running feet; he didn't notice the sting of the bushes he pushed through, the only thing he knew was his father was near, just a little farther and he was almost there.

Inumaru forced his way through the final brush ignoring the soft sting of pain as the brush cut into the softer skin of his chapped cheeks making small cuts, already healing with the help of his demon blood, and caught sigh of his father's form, his long silver hair shining in the moonlight. His hero turned to face him, his golden eyes widening in shock at the many cuts and mud all over Inumaru's tiny form, his mouth opening in a soft gasp of surprise.

Inumaru broke into a smile and ran strait up to his papa, threw his arms around Inuyasha's waist, his tiny face pressed into his father's belly. He breathed in deeply and fisted his hand into the cloth of his father's outfit. Finally, safe in his father's arms, all thoughts and fears of Onigumo's plan and the earlier day pressed far away from his mind as he felt the solid form of his father; he was real, not a dream, his papa was there. Inumaru held him tighter with a muffled whimper.

His father stiffened under his touch and Inumaru heard his garbled and hardly understandable attempts at talking.

"Wha—what.. ah.. uh… O—oi!"

Inumaru pulled himself closer ignoring his father's cries of confusion, his voice muffled as he spoke through the cloth. Needing to hear his father's deep voice, harsh with a canine gruffness, as he consoled him and reassured him that he was safe but most of all, he wanted to hear his father's low growl of comfort, a sound he missed more then the strong embrace and deep resonant voice.

"Papa… I was scared Papa…"

Inuyasha quit struggling; his body relaxing at the words the tiny child spoke. Suddenly, Inumaru felt his father's arms hesitantly glide around him and pull him closer hugging him back. He released a whimper and curled in closer feeling his father's arms shake about him.

Inumaru could smell fear and worry on his father's being and felt his eyes moisten, knowing that he was the cause of it and oddly felt both happy and guilty at this reaction. He buried his nose into the rough fire-rat fur of his father's outfit. He'd missed the scratchy feel of his Pap's clothes; the smell of the wild woods and wind, Inumaru's hands clutched desperately at his father's back his fingers becoming numb as the blood flow was restricted in the fabric.

His chest was tight and painfully warm and Inumaru couldn't stop the trembling in his legs. He pressed his nose more firmly against his father until he felt the hard muscles of his father's stomach beneath the clothing he wore.

_Papa, I love you so much Papa… I'm sorry I scared you Papa… Papa, Papa…_

Inuyasha began to laugh, the sound much different from the crooning growl Inumaru was anticipating, when his father's stomach muscles began to contract against his nose, Inumaru pulled back a ways and looked up at the tall man, his arms pulling taunt as he tried to keep the giant Hanyou with in his grasp afraid he'd disappear and Inumaru would be left, once again, alone.

"Oi! You got yourself lost huh?" The mocking tone in Inuyasha's voice made a cold bolt of hurt shoot through his tiny being, his heart freezing in his chest.

He'd wanted his father, and instead he was once again facing the immature and inadequate teenager. Inumaru froze, wanting to cry in his confusion and hurt. He was lost, and alone, his father wasn't there, the hanyou Inumaru was stuck with was a man who barely knew how to take care of himself, let alone a pup, and somewhere deep inside himself Inumaru was aware of that fact.

Inumaru's lips trembled and his hearing seemed to muffle. Inuyasha looked almost worried as he bent down to regard him, and Inumaru was slowly dragged back to reality.

His father wasn't coming back, his father left and this man before him had done the same. Inumaru swallowed and pushed his heart into a corner and glared back up at Inuyasha yanking away as hard as he could, the force knocking him back onto his rump. His entire body cried out in pain, not yet fully healed and exhausted from his exertions of the day.

"What the hell's wrong with you?"

Inumaru brought his eyes open fearfully at Inuyasha and growled trying to stand, his body screaming at the action. Inumaru settled for scooting away on his rump still growling his warning.

Inuyasha looked at him like he was insane, his own growl emanating from his chest as he lost his patience with the smaller pup. "What the hell! First you hug me then you hate me? What the fuck is your problem? You either hate me or you don't! Choose one or the other!"

Inuyasha's loud voice made Inumaru's heart leap in his chest, and he jumped scooting farther away, trying to escape the danger in the loud tone. Inumaru didn't notice how Inuyasha flinched in pain at his action. He was only aware of how much louder Inuyasha's growl had become and increased his own trying to sound intimidating but his cowering position deflated any chance of looking thus.

Inuyasha continued to growl at him, his expression deadly and Inumaru had to look away several times. Inuyasha's eyes gleamed with a stony-fire, his emotions locked up and hidden but those hidden emotions made his eyes appear to glow. Real fear crept up Inumaru's spine and into his heart and he swallowed hard his growl squeaking slightly. Inuyasha's hair had bushed out like a hedge-hogs, and Inumaru would have laughed and teased him violently had they been in a happier setting.

Inuyasha looked more demon then hanyou and Inumaru was suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. His head hurt and his body ached, all he wanted to do was curl up and disappear. But with a surety far beyond his few years he knew that nothing would change; his mother was still dying, his father had abandoned him, he was stuck in the past alone and in the care of a young hanyou who had no clue what to do.

Inumaru felt his unwanted tears well up in his eyes, vaguely surprised he still had tears left to shed. He was terrified but he wasn't going to show it, He'd show his Papa. He'd prove himself to everyone, that he was better then Inuyasha. He'd get the Shikon No Tama right from under his nose, and then he show everyone that he didn't need his father, he could do this all on his own.

_Onigumo said we could do it… and with so many jewel shards what's there to stop us? _

Inuyasha took a step forward and effectively stalled Inumaru's half-crazed thoughts, and again he scooted back on his rump. Inumaru trembled at the angry glare on Inuyasha's face and focused his mind on working his legs intending to bolt when a small delicate hand grasped Inuyasha's shoulder interrupting the moment.

The change was immediate and its abruptness shocked Inumaru back into his motionless state also ending his growling.

The moment that small hand touched Inuyasha's tensed shoulder, his growling stopped and his hair soothed over, his eyes lost their angry gleam and for a moment Inumaru could see every emotion in his father's golden eyes before the taller hanyou turned to look at the person behind him, his muscles slowly relaxing as he turned.

Kagome stood behind Inuyasha her hand gently squeezing his shoulder as they made eye contact. They seemed to speak but neither said a word to the other. Inumaru blinked in wonder trying to figure out what had just happened, a small portion of his mind telling him that somehow this was an important scene, but his child mind couldn't grasp the concept as to why.

Kagome smiled gently and pulled back, eye contact now broken, Inuyasha let out an annoyed snort and crossed his arms over his chest, petulant frown once again intact on his face.

"Feh, whatever." Inuyasha turned away from both of them turning his back, and for a moment Inumaru's stomach bottomed out. He could still see it; in the shadowy depths of his mind, the dark night when his father had left. The image wouldn't leave his mind dragging him back into painful memories.

The night was dark and colder then any he could remember. The soft sobs and coughing his mother let out echoed through him and kept the warmth of his bed from lulling him to sleep. It was hard to keep his tears at bay, but his mother needed him to be strong, Papa had said so.

His ears were strained to their max as he listened through the shrine's rice paper walls, waiting for any sound that could alert him to any trouble, or any hope for his mother. He nearly leapt from his skin when the footsteps of his father passed by his room, the loud noise deafening to his over alert ears.

When his father's footsteps quieted, Inumaru pushed himself out of bed, shoving the heavy blankets back as he ran from the room grabbing his haiori on his way out the shoji door, pulling the light thing open and tumbling out into the hallway running after his father. The ruff fur of the red shirt slid soundlessly over his under cloth yukata bunching the slightly shorter sleeves up around his shoulder as he carelessly threw the garment on, but he hardly noticed. He didn't bother to tie the front closed as he rounded the corner to the front entrance.

Inumaru stopped a few feet from where the wooden floor ended in a step that held the dirt landing where his father stood, his back facing Inumaru.

Inuyasha's long silver hair glowed in the night a vast contrast to the shadows that contorted his back. Inumaru watch him for a moment coming closer to his father. He stopped dead in his tracks as his father threaded the Tetsuiaga through his belt, Inumaru suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Papa never took Tetsuiaga with him unless he was going father then the village. Inumaru watched in a haze of disbelief.

"Papa?" His voice didn't seem to be any louder then the wind outside, he himself had barely heard it, but he knew his father had heard him, but the strong hero before him only paused for a moment before tightening his belt and standing up strait. He never turned as he slid the wooden slated door open and flipped the hanging mat aside with a single arm. Inumaru had to use both of his to even lift the heavy woven cloth, but his father did it so effortlessly as he stepped through it.

"Papa! Wait… wait, Papa, I'm coming too."

Inumaru ran forward and jumped down off the step and sprinted toward the door and into his father's back side. A little startled, he looked up, Inuyasha still hadn't looked down, but Inumaru could now see his profile in the night. His face was haunted, and pained, he looked scared, and younger then he'd ever seen his father look.

"Papa?"

His father closed his eyes and set his larger hand on Inumaru's head, and Inumaru had to fold his ears back against his head to keep them from being pinned.

When he managed to lift his head, the comforting weight of his father's strong yet gentle hand weighing it down, he saw his father looking at him sadly, and some thing in him knew he wasn't going with his father that he would never see his father again. And some part of him knew that if his papa left now, Moma would die, and his father would not return. Papa would stay with the lady who lives in the forests of the well.

A light weight startled Inumaru and he jerked back away from it his eyes wide and alarmed; shaken from his memories. The soft brown eyes that met him reminded him of his mother's though they where too young to be hers. He swallowed hard blinking his golden eyes and shaking all over.

Kagome was kneeling in front of him her hand raised in the air where it had been touching his head. She looked shocked, but her eyes softened and she smiled lowering her hand.

"Shh, It's okay, Inumaru." He watched her every move only half registering on the startled expression Inuyasha was now wearing openly on his face where he'd turned to look over his shoulder at the two of them.

Kagome slowly bent over to her side to reach into her pocket and pull out a small square of white cloth from a pocket in her green pleated skirt. When she had it she scooted closer to him kerchief outstretched. This time Inumaru didn't jerk away as she gently placed the cloth to his lip. It stung a little, he hadn't realized he'd split it.

"You're a mess." Kagome's voice was gentle and calmly chiding, he'd heard her use it with Shippou, and when she spoken to him after he'd woken up in the village. He swallowed again and leaned into her hand when she passed it over his cheek. She slowly wiped away the dirt and blood from his hurts and when she was finished she pocketed the dirtied cloth, returned her eyes to his, and placed a warm hand to his cheek.

"How about we go back to camp? Everyone was worried about you; even Inuyasha was scared sick looking for you." She smiled softly and only rolled her eyes when Inuyasha snorted behind her.

_Papa was worried… really?_

Inumaru glanced over her shoulder at the tense and muttering hanyou, the older boy's ears pinned back, a scowl on his face. He glanced back to Kagome's warm brown eyes, and she nodded her head, silently answering is question.

Inumaru let out a whimper and threw his arms around Kagome's neck his muddy clothing sticking to her own and staining her white blouse. She was still for a moment, but quickly recovered wrapping her arms around his tired fragile body and lifted him into her arms as she stood up.

She was so warm and soft, he pressed his nose into her neck smelling her, she was so much like his moma. More so then Inuyasha was like his father, she was so much more mature but she still was so different from his mother at the same time. Inumaru sighed and relaxed into her embrace, letting his thoughts rest. For the moment he was safe, that's all that mattered.

When they passed by Inuyasha Inumaru didn't miss the low growl that had risen in his chest and looked up over Kagome's shoulder. Inuyasha looked green with jealousy and he was baring his teeth slightly, but his eyes where soft and confused. Mustering up the last of his strength Inumaru stuck his tongue out In Inuyasha's direction, and snuggled closer into Kagome's arms. He smiled evilly as Inuyasha let out a shout and came running up barking his anger out all the way back to camp.

The steam hung heavy in the area that surrounded the small hot spring, like a dense fog in the early morning air. Both moist clouds where familiar in this land this time where demons and humans walked the lands, where lords and princesses lived and ruled, where the well of the Sunset Shrine led to; the place where Inuyasha existed, and lived.

Kagome breathed deeply for a moment nostalgia filling her unexpectedly. It was odd how normal the thought of bathing in a hot spring had become, she still preferred bath tubs, but the hot spring had become almost second nature to her.

Kagome came back to reality as the small child in front of her started twisting out of his filthy clothes, his arms twisting at an odd angle as he tried to remove his outer haiori. Kagome felt a warm feeling of protectiveness and love swell in her chest. Inumaru looked ridiculous as he freed one arm of the clothing and decided to shake it off his other arm instead of tugging.

_He looks so much like Inuyasha. I wonder if He was ever this clueless when it came to taking his shirt off. He does it with such ease now it's hard to imagine him being so helpless._

The cloth flapped around insanely as Inumaru whipped his small arm up and down. Kagome rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm gently and pealed the garment from him slowly, suddenly knowing what her mother felt like when Sota had been younger.

After the clothing had been removed from his body, Inumaru looked up at her and grinned his good ear flipping about as he attacked his pants next. Kagome lovingly folded his shirt over her arm her expression turning sad. Inumaru's ear was still injured, it had been over a day but it was still limp against his head. When Inuyasha was so badly injured during the battle with Yura of the hair, it had taken him only a half a day to heal up completely.

She began to wonder if it was because Inumaru was less then half demon making his demon blood less potent then Inuyasha's was, but that speculation hit a dead end when Inumaru threw off his hakama and under yukatta baring his back, only slightly pink where he'd been burned.

_Maybe their ears are extremely sensitive, and heal more slowly. I know Inuyasha hates it when people mess with his ears… and never once have I seen a Youkai attack his ears as a target. Maybe it's like a cheap shot… a kick to the balls or something like that._

Kagome shrugged her shoulders bending over to retrieve the rest of Inumaru's discarded clothing, folding those over her arm as well. When she'd adjusted the clothes she let her eyes come up and rest on Inumaru's back as he stood by the hot spring's edge looking down at the water apprehensively. His little arms were pulled up against his chest as he placed his weight on the balls of his feet. Kagome's eyes rested on the tiny feet almost sadly noticing the dirt and blood covering them. Small cuts surrounded the top and sides of his feet, the arcs looked a little bloody as well. The heel and ball of his feet seemed fine, and (as she had assumed with Inuyasha) it was most likely that Inumaru had harder calluses on those surfaces since both Hanyous seemed to like walking barefoot.

Carefully Kagome placed the clothing in the small bucket that held her bathing necessities, and lifted the bucket up to move closer to the spring. Inumaru turned to look at her as she sat down lifting his yukatta first and soaking it in the water bringing out her soap bar to lather the clothing down as she had done so many times to both her own and Inuyasha's clothes in the past.

Inumaru crouched down beside her to watch, eyes fascinated by her movements. Kagome caught his childlike glance from the corner of her eye and smiled speaking like her mother tended to do. "You should get in before you get cold."

Inumaru looked up at her and blinked a few times himself his ears high on his head, the wounded one rising just slightly proof that his demon blood was healing him, if painfully slowly. Kagome smiled and lifted one soapy finger to dab the froth on the tip of his nose.

He went cross eyed for a moment his nose wiggling about before he sneezed, the bubbles falling off of his nose. Kagome giggled a bit and Inumaru smiled creeping over the edge of the spring, placing his foot on a well placed slab of stone that served to be a perfect seat. The moment his foot touched the water he cringed scrunching his nose up tightly his arms flinging out to the sides of his body, hooked at the elbows fingers spread wide as if ready to attack the water.

Kagome shook her head sympathetically; she understood what it felt like to have the warm bubbling sensation of hot water on freshly healing cuts. "Be careful, Inumaru, it's kinda hot."

"Feh." Inumaru said walking out a bit further before crouching low arms once again crossed protectively over his chest, water covering him up to just below his nose, his hair billowing out behind him like a cape.

Kagome lifted his yukatta from the water a rung it out shaking it a bit before hanging it over a low tree branch and reached for his haiori to repeat the process of washing it as well.

Kagome sunk her hands into the warm water her eyes locked on the boy who seemed content just to have the warmth of the water ease away all his cramping muscles. Kagome again lifted the now clean garment from the water and wrung the water from it, again placing it over a neighboring branch of the one his yukatta hung on.

Kagome could feel Inuyasha's presence near by as she grabbed Inumaru's hakama and lathered it up as well. She couldn't help but smile knowing that he was near. Inuyasha could pretend he didn't care, but she could tell he was deeply concerned and confused about the boy, he'd stated so himself.

Kagome could still feel Inuyasha's warmth where she'd held him just a few hours before, she was always standing silent vigil over his wounded heart, and she always would, but sometimes it hurt so much to watch him as he suffered with his own pain, unable to do anything but hold him.

_I wish I could go back and protect him from everything he'd faced as a child… _

A splash of water caught her attention and she nearly fell over laughing as she watched as Inumaru doggie paddled around in a circle blowing bubbles in the water ears cocked back to prevent water from irritating the sensitive hairs inside. Kagome smiled and shook her head finishing up with Inumaru's laundry hanging the last of it up to dry. Once completed she stretched allowing over strained and stressed muscles to contract, she needed a good soak to completely relax, but first she had to be sure that Inumaru was cleaned warm and snugly safe in bed before she tended to her own fatigued body.

The area had gone silent and Kagome felt a bolt of fear shoot up her spine and she turned back to the steaming water half frantic. For a frightening moment all she could see was the mist rising from the water. Then she could see the small dark cloud of hair on the water's surface, and she let out her pent up breath, shoulder's sagging in relief.

"Inumaru, you scared me. What's wrong?" Kagome noticed that the child was silently crouched back on the slab of rock that jutted out of the pools side, the one he'd previously occupied, his face still half way submerged. But the thing that bothered her was the fact his ears where up as high as he could get them, as if he was searching for any type of danger.

When he continued to remain silent, Kagome made her way closer to him and crouched down, "Inumaru—" Kagome's voice cut short as the child suddenly raised his face from the water, sending droplets flying in all directions before spewing forth a thick stream of liquid all over her front.

The warm water startled Kagome and she leaped to her feet shaking it from her in shock.

_That little brat! He's no better then Sota, little runt… and he's laughing! _

Sure enough the sharp barking laughter was the kid's and Kagome was almost certain she could hear Inuyasha's own chuckle from the forest area. She let out a huff and fixed her eyes on Inumaru's face. His golden eyes practically glowed with laughter and mischief. He looked so happy, and carefree, for a moment she was looking at Inuyasha on those rare occasions he let go and simply enjoyed life. Kagome found her annoyance dribble away as once again the laughing boy took on the appearance of having white hair, a care free child, willing to love and be loved, before the harsh cruelty of life had destroyed that innocence.

_Inuyasha holds so many shadows now, his eyes always seem to be harboring a deep and distant pain. I wonder why he left so suddenly? _

"Alright you smart ass, come here so I can wash you." Kagome bent down and removed her shoes and socks and retrieved her soap and wash cloth. Once finished she placed her feet in the water and sat on the rocky and wet edge. Inumaru looked at her, a cocky grin still plastered to his face, slowly he inched towards her still chuckling his head off. He sounded like a little demon, Kagome blinked at the irony in it and motioned for him to hurry up. Finally when he had settled between her feet, Kagome lunged forward and ran her fingers up his sides immediately finding his ticklish spots.

"AHH! No! Kagome n—no fair!" Inumaru chocked out between his fits of giggles. Kagome only grinned ignoring the fact that she was now not only caked with the mud reminisce from his clothes earlier, but also soaked through to the bone.

"Alls fair in love, war, and water fights!" Kagome stated finally easing off her attack when she thought he was beginning to actually dislike the torture, "That's for making me worry about you so much."

Inumaru looked up at her with startled eyes as if he couldn't believe she had been scared for him. "You where worried about me? _That _much?"

Kagome smiled and tapped the tip of his nose with her index finger, "You better believe it kid. Now c'mon, I gotta get you cleaned up and in bed, Inuyasha's going to want to move out bright and early just so that he can get revenge on you for scaring him as well." When Inumaru rolled his eyes and sat back turning his back to her Kagome snickered and lathered up the cloth.

"Papa—Inuyasha, doesn't really seem to care about anyone at all, how do you know he was worried?" His voice was almost bitter, the question pensive as if he was asking himself. Kagome felt her chest tighten and she gently pulled him back and into a hug before sweeping his hair from his back and running the cloth around it, being sure to ease the soap over his remaining sore spots with her hand instead of the coarse cloth.

"It's alright, I won't tell him if you call him Papa." Kagome whispered in his good ear and wasn't too surprised when Inumaru looked at her from over his shoulder. "How did you—"

Kagome winked at the dark haired boy, "You two aren't all that different, and I have a father myself. It's only natural to want him around." Kagome then leaned down close to his ear as if telling him a secret. "Even if Inuyasha can't act like one, his heart is in the right place."

She continued to scrub down Inumaru's small back, marveling at how delicate and tiny he really was. Once she was satisfied that he was clean she cupped a hand full of water and let if fall down his back cleansing it of all soap.

"You have to understand Inumaru, Inuyasha, he still is a kid himself right now. He's still coming to except himself and sometimes he makes stupid mistakes, but he is still the man you know and love, he's just a little more like you are." Kagome moved to get the shampoo and conditioner from her bag, and as she did that Inumaru turned to face her, placing his arms on her knees and resting his head on his crossed limbs.

"Kagome?" He asked tentatively eyes wide and worried.

"Hmm?"

"He—he wouldn't really… cut me up would he?" the uncertainty in his voice broke her heart, and Kagome was sure Inuyasha was hurting much worse then she was From where he was hiding in the bushes, she could feel it as clearly as her own.

_Had his leaving shaken Inumaru's trust so completely?_

"Inumaru, would your father ever hurt you?" Kagome said sternly unknowingly giving Inumaru _the look_. Inumaru averted his eyes and shook his head. "Then, why do you need to ask. Inuyasha was only worried, and when he is scared, like he was today, he tends to react painfully. He doesn't like to be hurt, so as a shield for himself, he strikes out at the thing that scared him. Trust me, I'd know." Inumaru nodded his head closing his eyes as Kagome massaged the herbal shampoo into his hair, easing away the grim and filth of the passed few days.

Kagome let her fingers sift through his soft hair and smiled at the soft purr the child released. Kagome let herself relax as well finishing the last of her thoughts on Inuyasha, "He's the greatest man I know Inumaru, you just got to get through his tough exterior to find it."

Inumaru nodded his head once she pulled her fingers away, then, at her direction, he paddled off to rinse his hair in a deeper part of the spring and Kagome rose and gathered everything she needed, and pulled out a big fluffy towel.

When she stood back up her eyes locked with a pare of startled gold ones, hidden in the shadows of the bushes before her. Kagome was startled her self at first but after a moment smiled kindly in his direction, nodding her head in acknowledgment confirming her own words.

_I do think you're great. You just tend to be an ass sometimes._

A splash of water again drew her attention and when she looked back, Inuyasha was gone, most likely returned to camp so as not to let anyone know that he cared. Kagome smiled to her self falling in love with the crazy hanyou all over again as she lifted his son from the water and wrapped the towel securely around his form.

"If you carry my bucket I'll carry you back to camp, deal?"

Inumaru nodded his head enthusiastically and lifted the bucket into his arms wrapping it up in the towel as he did so. He was light and easy to lift as Kagome walked her chest feeling full and warm.

_I wish things could just stay like this, peaceful, happy… please god let us stay like this, please._

The pup's face was alight with childlike wonder and happiness as Kagome quickly rubbed the towel up and down him causing his hair to gain a slight static bounce to it. Once she was satisfied that the little guy was dry she wrapped the towel around him, the corner flopping up and over his good ear making him looks years younger then he was.

Inuyasha snorted a bit but couldn't tear his eyes from the scene, it was so much like what his mother used to do, he almost wanted to walk up and burry his face in Kagome and hold her close to himself, and just have her hold him.

_She said, so much on my behalf down at the spring. But can she really mean it? _

Inuyasha watched the golden firelight flicker over Kagome's gentle face and she lifted up one of her night shirt, looked at it contemplatively, shrugged, and then returned to the pup who was busily chattering with the kitsune.

_She always means it when she says it…always. _

"Alright Inumaru arms up!" Kagome said with a happy tone and Inuyasha couldn't stop the goofy smile that crawled up his face at her motherly tone.

The pup's arms rose up and he disappeared in the billow of fabric before finding the right hole for his head and popping it out with a shake, his injured ear flopping about.

Inumaru found the sleeves easily enough and stuck his arms through, the cuffs landing a few inches below his elbow. Kagome smiled and rubbed his head affectionately. She'd been doing that a lot lately, acting just like a mother to the pup. At first it had pissed him off, it was like he'd become some sort of prize for sucking up to the pup. But quickly after the thought had come Inuyasha had felt guilty for ever toying with the idea. Kagome had never treated him as a thing, had always let him choose his life, and stood by his side in whatever choice he made, and here he was acting like he had the first week they'd traveled together.

Inuyasha closed his eyes for a moment still feeling like everyone was just coddling the kid to make sure it was Kagome's and not Kikyou's. Sure he didn't really want Kikyou to be a mother as she was now, but… perhaps with a wish on the jewel, she could be as she once had been…

A sharp squeal of laughter caused him to look back up, and for once he noticed the connections he'd missed before, Kagome was holding Shippou in her lap tickling his sides. Inuyasha smiled again calm for the most part, his conflicting emotions, not settled, but calm enough to be set aside for now.

"Please Kagome! I wanna wear a night shirt too!"

"Shippou-chan!" Kagome gasped but still smiled at him, the same loving smile she used with Inumaru and reached for another shirt in her bag.

_Kagome may not be playing a game, maybe its just her way, being motherly and whatnot… but there's still …_

Shippou held his arms out in his new sleeping gear the shirt looking more like his own sleeping bag, especially where his tail bulged out in the back. Inuyasha chuckled to himself and reclined in his tree branch. He had become more comfortable sitting with the group over their travels, but with his thoughts and the pup he'd needed the comfort of his tree. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Miroku's own appreciated gaze for Kagome's motherly habits. His eyes skimming over the young woman in a habitual way that Inuyasha knew far too well.

Immediately Inuyasha's good mood faded away and he growled barking out at Miroku missing the sweet moment of Kagome lifting both boys into her arms and bouncing them up slightly making them laugh. "Oi! Just what the hell are you looking at you lech?" Inuyasha dropped from his tree, less then willing to leave Kagome alone with Miroku, the priest had been part of the reason he'd started sleeping on the forest floor (Kagome, and feeling for once like he fit in being the other part.)

His outburst had the reaction he'd wanted, Miroku was suddenly drawn away from Kagome and Sango was already reaching for her Hiraikotsu. The monk blinked his eyes in confusion and Inuyasha growled low in his throat just daring him to try and deny anything.

"Inuyasha! Nock it off, I need to get Inumaru to bed and your yelling isn't helping." Kagome snapped, already at her sleeping bag tucking the pup and jumping Kitsune in. Inuyasha snorted rolling his eyes at her annoyed by her stupidity.

_I try sticking up for her and what do I get? Bitching, why can't she just make up her mind, she either thinks I'm great, or she thinks I'm a baka!_

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sucked in a breath ready to let another round of arguments fly, ready to argue with Kagome until he felt better, or she sat him and left to clean the mud off her self. Either way, it was routine and in this bizarre day it was something he really needed.

When he turned back around his argument died on his lips. Kagome had placed Inumaru's fire rat haiori and Hakama over the spit they'd made to cook their dinner, to dry the garments, like she'd done with his clothes so many times before, and Inumaru's yukatta was draped over the tree branch closest to the burning logs. The familiar scene was made complete when he spotted Kagome gently stroking through Inumaru's bangs, a low hum vibrating from her, the tune, haunting and nostalgically recognizable to him.

_How could she know this? _

Inuyasha was near panicking at the tune she so gently made deep with in herself. Her voice had always calmed him, and it did now, but his insides kept twisting at the memories the melody was inflicting on him.

"Kagome-chan…" Sango's voice was barely audible but Inuyasha could hear the amazement in it as it matched his own. Why Kagome had started singing in the first place was beyond him, but all he knew was he didn't want her to sing it, and yet he didn't want her to stop either.

He hadn't heard the song in so long, the lyrics had all but been forgotten, yet the bed time lullaby would never leave his mind. Could never leave his mind.

Inuyasha couldn't look away from the scene as Inumaru stuck his thumb into his mouth looking at her with wide, trusting, golden eyes as her tune rose into song. Inuyasha never heard her sing, (in front of anyone at least) he had heard her hum and sing a few lyrics of odd songs, but she'd always been half joking with it, never letting her full voice flow.

His mouth hung open as he watched her smiling face, her eyes warm and soft, telling the words to his son, and before Inuyasha knew it he too was wrapped deeply into her story, the emotions rising up and over whelming him.

"Oyasumi Nasai, chisai no ko (_Good night little one)_  
Oyasumi Nasai, Watashi no Itoshigo. (_Goodnight my beloved Child_)  
Hatake ga kaeru kara, hiruma okaeru kara (_Come away from the fields, Away from the day_.)  
chisai kodomo (_little child_)  
Anata wa (_You)_  
Oyasumi nasai, chisai no ko (_Good night little one)_  
Oyasumi Nasai, watashi no Itoshigo (_Good night my beloved child_)  
Houyou no naka ni nemuri yo (_Sleep in my loving embrace_)  
Watashi wa anata no itami wo mameru kara (_I'll keep (protect) you from __  
pain._)  
chisai yumemiro (_Little dreamer_)  
Anata wa (_You_)  
Oyasumi nasai, chisai no ko (_Good night little one_)  
Oyasumi nasai, watashi no itoshigo (_Good night my beloved child_)  
Kaze no ue ni tobu de (_fly on the wind_)  
Shinrai no tsubasa wo shiyou (_with the wings of faith_.)  
chibi Ai (_little love_)  
Anata wa (_You_)  
Oyasumi nasai, chisai no ko (_Good night little one_)  
oyasumi nasai, watashi no itoshigo (_Good night my beloved child)_  
Shiro yuusha wa zutto wo tobu to (_As your white hero flies_)  
Kagayaki wa kinro no me. (_and the golden eyes shine_.)  
chisai yuusha (_Little hero_)  
Anata wa  
Oyasumi nasai, chisai no ko (_Good night little one_)  
oyasumi nasai, watashi no itoshigo (_Good night my beloved child_)  
Anata wa itsu mezameru watashi wa koko ni aru (_I'll be here when you wake_)  
Anata no sekai no koto wa kaeru (_come back from your world_.)  
watashi no kodomo (_my child_)  
aishiteru (_I love you_)  
anata wa (_You_)  
Oyasumi nasai." (_Good night_)

Kagome's voice softened out till it was barely back to a hum again her fingers lightly drifting over both Inumaru and Shippou as they lay on their sides like two happy brothers. Kagome slowly stood up, her smile still on her face, the fire light made her smile look even softer in its warm golden glow, and Inuyasha still could not find the will to move.

"Yatta!" Kagome whispered under her breath both fists raised up near her shoulder's in her usual victory sign. She turned around quickly with a giant grin on her face and Inuyasha found his senses slowly returning with her movements, the surrealistic veil rising to allow reality back in.

_How the in all the seven hells does she know that song!_

"I did it! Just like mama used to do, did… you… guys… uh, what's wrong?" Kagome asked as her arms lowered to her sides her face thoughtful and confused.

Inuyasha blinked back at her unable to put any of his thoughts into words. He was desperately hoping Miroku or Sango would jump in and say something anything to give him a chance to escape from the scene; give him time to mull over his own thoughts and turbulent feelings.

For a few terrifying moments, nothing but silence rang through the air and Inuyasha felt his heart beat thunder in his ears as a slight bit a panic sank in. It was too much, just too much for him to handle at the moment.

Kagome swung her gaze to meet his own, and Inuyasha felt his stomach bottom out as her deep brown eyes searched his own questioningly. He swallowed, stepping back and away from the girl arms raised in defense.

"That was magnificent Kagome!"

Never had the hanyou been so relieved to hear the perverted Monk speak. Miroku seemed to almost know what was happening and interrupted at the crucial moment as Kagome had narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to him, looking as concerned as ever for him. Kagome turned her attention to the Hoshi her arms lowering ;a small smile lifting the concern on her face.

"You really think so?" Kagome glanced back at the sleeping children smiling wider, "Mama used to sing that to me when I was younger. It always made me fall asleep quickly. I'm surprised it worked."

_Her … Mother… her mother knows this song…?_

"You are so good with children Kagome." Miroku gushed, and if his panic hadn't been dire, Inuyasha would have hit the man, just knowing that the compliment was leading to something vile.

Inuyasha vaguely heard the monks "famous" question and the loud clobbering noise as Sango's boomerang connected with his thick head, but he didn't grasp its significance as his mind gnawed over the startling information he'd been given.

"I'm going to go wash up now." Kagome's voice dragged Inuyasha out of his revere long enough for his mind to process what she'd said. Kagome looked down at her clothes in a show of her need to become clean, and earned a smile from the demon exterminator.

"I'll stay back and make sure this pervert leaves you alone, Kagome-chan." Sango said as she sat next to the incapacitated monk. Miroku garbled out some half audible mumbling as Inuyasha silently leaped into the trees escaping soundlessly from the group.

The steam from the hot spring hung like a gauzy curtain in the cool night air not quite blocking anything but at the same time think enough to hide in. Inuyasha rested in the taller branches of the giant tree Kagome had previously hung Inumaru's clothing on to dry while the pup had been washing up. Inuyasha was confident that he was high enough up that he would not be spotted like he had earlier. Kagome may be able to sense him but if she couldn't confirm it with her eyes she usually brushed the thought aside as nerves.

Or she's just come to accept the fact that I am here to guard her when I'm not babysitting the monk and the fox brat.

Inuyasha wasn't sure if that thought comforted him or not, and he scowled in indifference. If she was aware that he tagged along whenever she bathed when no one was looking then she could very well think him a pervert, no better then the "monk". That wasn't a comforting idea to him at all.

_I'm not a pervert, I never look at her… okay I do but only after she's completely covered._ Inuyasha nodded to himself and folded his arms more comfortably across his chest. He never truly fallowed for a peep show, it was just a habit he'd picked up when he had started watching over Kikyou; a precaution, a way to keep her safe.

Inuyasha became pensive and quiet as he remembered the priestess he'd fallen in love with over five life times ago. He sighed his heart and stomach feeling like he'd eaten something rotten. He could still remember the first time he'd fallowed her, the beginning of his "bath-outlook" routine.

He'd merely fallowed the Miko, confused by her odd behavior that day. She'd left with out her arrows and bow and had said goodbye to her little sister. He had fallowed out of concern when Kaede seemed to watch her sister until she was out of sight, the same way he used to watch his mother when the town's people had become violent.

But of course he'd told himself he was going for the Shikon No Tama and not to see if a little gaki's fears where relevant for not. He stood over the edge of the cliff and looked over cautiously when he heard the sound of splashing water.

Kikyou had looked like… there was no words for it the way her clothes had clung to her body and had become nearly see through by the water. His breath had left him in a rush as he felt his stomach tighten and his skin to heat. Some part of him felt dirty for looking and he averted his eyes to her head but couldn't find the strength to look away. She paused and tilted her head in his direction, he knew she could sense him, and he slouched low to the ground and scooted away so he couldn't see her but close enough that he could see the area around her.

He'd never believed in Buddha before, never cared for his soul, corrupt and twisted from birth. But in that moment he felt a need to ask for the fat man's forgiveness for looking at her body as he had. Yet, after that day, he fallowed her to waterfall where she continued to douse her self with its cold water. He was never sure why she did that instead of bathing with a group like the others in the village, but he had been certain it had to be a miko thing.

Then when Kagome came he'd simply fallowed out of habit and watched her as he had Kikyou. Staying far enough away not to see her, but close enough to see everything else. She'd even chosen the same damn waterfall spot Kikyou had. After a while he chided himself on his actions and snuck close to try and relieve the old woman of her shikon shard, but it was at that moment that Kagome had sprung from the water.

He froze unable to look away as his body began to tingle and heat up from the sight of her. But unlike before as he tried to look away he found no reason to. He felt no guilt for looking at her as she bathed, this realization made him blink and he wasn't aware that she'd caught him until he'd fallen from the cliff by her command.

Inuyasha snorted at the memory tossing it aside and out of his mind. He'd never intentionally meant to peep on her at all. It had merely been an old reaction transferred to her from Kikyou. And with Kikyou it had always been placid and very chaste.

_Yeah, I'm not a pervrt! I didn't start touching myself until _after _I saw_ _Kagome. _

Inuyasha nodded to himself then paused a little confused his eyes bugging slightly. _Wait…_

"Wai! It's so nice to be able to bathe!" Kagome's cheerful exclamation drew his attention from his own trap and Inuyasha averted his gaze to the young girl at the edge of the spring.

Kagome really did look like she'd been through hell and back, covered in dark blood smears and globs of mud. He briefly wondered if he looked like that, but the thought passed just as quickly through his mind not really careing if he did, Kagome didn't seem to mind if he did or not anyway, so why bother. Inuyasha felt a corner of his mouth lift in a soft smile as he spotted the smear of mud on the under side of her chin. He hadn't noticed it before but it stood out drastically now.

The teen smiled and stretched lifting herself up and onto the balls of her feet, already bare, and lifting the short school top exposing her soft belly and ribcage. Inuyasha blushed and looked away, turning his head completely to the side.

"Ohhh, the water's so warm!" Kagome moaned and giggled slightly and Inuyasha's blush deepened. For a moment he remained facing the opposite direction but slowly his eyes crept to the corner and he turned to look at her fully.

Kagome had stripped and sat wrapped in one of her towel things, her feet in the water lightly kicking in child like joy. His blush faded as he continued to watch her innocent display and relaxed into the tree his golden eyes locked onto her face. He crossed his arms behind his head and reclined against them to get comfy.

Kagome is always so full of life; so childlike, it was… refreshing, yes that was the word he was looking for, refreshing to be with her. She 'd adamantly drag him into her good mood, always coaxing him to relax, always insisting he was safe. Inuyasha closed his eyes as Kagome slipped into the water resting against the side of the spring for a moment before dunking her head beneath the water to shake the grime from her.

He gave Kagome her privacy, keeping his eyes closed just listening to her bathing noises; letting his mind wander.

How long has it been? I can't really remember… It feels like we've always hunted Naraku and the shards… but we didn't…

Inuyasha's eyes slid open to gaze up at the stars questioningly searching his mind for the events that had happened, and as he remembered each event, each moment he found he missed it. Everything had changed, so quickly it was almost like he was running through an endless dream.

He missed traveling alone with Kagome, though at the time he'd distrusted her. She'd been so much like Kikyou, yet she seemed more free, and alive. She held all of Kikyou's good qualities, but at the same time she'd been so different from the sad Miko who walked the path of carnage all those years ago.

He'd just grown to care for her, enough that he was scared of himself when Shippo appeared. The battle with the thunder Brother's seemed so long ago, but the fear he'd felt at Kagome's near passing was still sharp in his mind.

I would have said it then… Would have said the words Kikyou wouldn't let me say…

A particularly loud splash turned his golden eyes to Kagome as she broke the surface to apply her shampoo to her hair. He watched her through the fog, her back was too him for that he was grateful.

Back then… were the words meant for her? Or was I saying them to Kikyou, the part of her that still lived inside of Kagome?

Inuyasha blinked his eyebrows drawn down in a contemplative scowl. He wasn't sure. After Kikyou had returned so had his previous aloofness, and he found it felt wrong after all that had happened, and then all the puzzle pieces fell into place, and instead of facing his Kikyou, the Miko who'd chosen the sealing Arrow instead of the purification arrow, he found himself facing someone he didn't know. Everything that he'd known to be Kikyou was left with Kagome and all that was left was the sad, blood soaked miko filled with hate.

Inuyasha cringed at the memory and closed his eyes on a sigh. _I truly lost her that day… I wanted her back but if she was to stay the way she had become … I would rather have Kagome protect her soul then see her like that… but…_

Inuyasha looked again at Kagome as she busily washed her clothes and hung them on the tree beside his own. She was already out and dressed in her pink nightclothes. Her wet hair made dark spots on her back and shoulders as the locks curled in unruly waves.

Now… I'm not sure… who I want… who I see in who… Inuyasha sighed feeling cold inside, as he always did when he dwelled on those thoughts, it always hit a dead end either way he looked at it. He didn't have a future as he saw it. Well… until now… The pup had changed everything, Inuyasha hadn't noticed how much until he really looked over what had happened. Before they'd ran on hopeful dreams of a future, where the jewel was gone and Naraku was defeated. On hopes that things wouldn't change once the quest was over, that he wouldn't be dragged to hell, that perhaps Kikyou could find peace. But now, it wasn't a dream built on hopes alone, they had solid proof, his child. It should have made him happy, but it didn't. It made him feel cold, uncertain. Obviously he had chosen, but he didn't want to nothing was clear, and as far as he could tell things weren't well. He didn't like it, not one bit. He couldn't provide for a family, he just didn't fit in… could never fit in. Kagome packed her things and began to make her way back toward the camp, Inuyasha fallowed behind her silently, his mind still a jumble of thoughts, his insides still cold. 

The sun was warm, awakening the forest with a gentle prodding. The soft waking noises of the land were accompanied by the insistent lapping of the water against wood.

The noises made Inuyasha's ears twitch as sleep was slowly stripped from him. Grumpily the hanyou rolled over and absently threw his hand over his head as if he could vanquish the sounds with his actions.

He was startled when his motions caused the solid ground to rock crazily from side to side. Ice wetness sloshed over his body suddenly, jolting him out of his slumber and sending him careening over the side of the flimsy raft and strait into the lake he'd been precariously lying on.

Breaking the surface of the water like a cat thrown in water he scrabbled halfway onto the raft gasping for air his ears laid back, his bangs clinging to his face.

Breathing heavily he cast his gaze about the area more then a little befuddled on how he'd gotten out there in the first place. And how he'd wound up naked, no less. He was pretty sure he'd fallen asleep at the base of the big tree next to Kagome, and he was certain he'd been fully clothed.

Still heaving in big gulps of air Inuyasha wracked his brain for any tidbits of information it might hold. While doing this his eyes scanned the area for his clothes.

He spotted a flash of red near the shore line and his heavy breathing stalled as he narrowed his eyes to get a better look.

"Huh?"

Again he spotted the color and this time recognized what it was. Inuyasha made a face and gazed longingly at his clothes, now knotted around stones _under_ the water line more then forty feet from him on the shore line.

For a moment he simply sat with an annoyed look on his face. Then, his eyes twitched, fallowed by his ear, and then his lip rose in a snarl as he lifted a shaking fist growling beneath his breath the entire time.

A soft chuckle tickled his ears and the last thread snapped as Inuyasha howled into the air shattering the serene morning with his angry bellow,

"Shippou! Inumaru!"

In the green foliage of the bank, the two children toppled over and onto the forest floor overcome with fits of laughter. Inumaru held his midriff as cramps spread through his spasming stomach. He rolled from side to side his feet lightly kicking out accidentally tapping against Shippou as the kitsune mimicked the larger boy's actions.

"Did, you see… his face!" Inumaru choked out between giggles gasping for breath as the memory sent him sprawling to the floor again this time bringing tears to his eyes.

"Did you _hear_ him?" Shippou countered Inumaru's question and both stilled for a moment, completely silent just staring at the other. Then, Shippou snorted, Inumaru coughed and they fell over again into the muddy dirt effectively ruining Kagome's shirts from the night before. (Of course Shippou's had been knotted in the back so as not to trip him as he walked, courtesy of Inumaru.)

After awhile the wild fits had faded leaving the boys breathing heavily through the mouths and chuckling every so often. Inumaru was reclined back on his elbows looking over at Shippou who was curled up on his stomach like some one had socked him in the gut.

Inumaru giggled again lightly kicking Shippou's head to get the kit's attention, "Oi, you alright?"

Shippou squinted up at him with a lopsided grin, "Great! Couldn't be better. Where did you have time to plot this?" Shippou asked genuinely wondering, and like a light Inumaru's face became bright with elation. "You gave it to me."

Shippou blinked and sat up with a confused look on his face, "Huh? But you're the one who came up with the idea of putting him on the raft as he slept and to remove his clothes."

Inumaru grinned and sat completely up crossing his legs Indian style and grasped his ankles leaning in to talk to him in a conspirative whisper. "In my time you always come up with these crazy idea's that just drives Papa crazy! It's great. One time you took tetsusiaga and painted the rusted blade with markers and stuck it in the ground so it stuck strait up and then tied a pink ribbon around the handle.

"And then, another time you told me about pulling this prank and thought maybe we should try and pull it off together, but…" suddenly all the excitement drained from the small boy and Shippou, who had been shocked to hear that Inumaru knew him from before, felt almost cold at the boy's sudden silence.

"What?" Shippou asked repositioning to sit on his folded legs.

Inumaru blinked several times his face screwing into a painfully angry look. "Papa left before you came back from a trip…"

Shippou closed his mouth and looked down into his lap. What could he say to that? There was nothing he could say to help ease his friend's pain. Shippou let out his breath in a rush looking back up and out at the lake where Inuyasha frantically doggie-paddled for the shoreline.

"Well, it was a great idea, wasn't it." Shippou felt Inumaru stir and grinned turning to face the boy as he stood up one hand raised in a victory punch, "It's payback for all the punches I've received from that baka Inu!"

Inumaru smiled at him and Shippou felt slightly empowered. "He didn't know what to think when he hit that icy water!" That brought a laugh out of Inumaru and Shippou found he couldn't contain his humor either. As the mood dissolved into giggles the bushes shook before them and they looked up adrenaline rushing into their systems at the thought of facing the wet hanyou's vengeance.

"Shippou-chan, Inumaru?" Kagome's voice reached them just before she entered the clearing they where crouched in. The bushes made a clear rustling sound as she pushed through them, the leaves clinging gently to her school skirt and white shirt. Shippou was amazed she'd actually gotten the white thing clean again after all that had been on it the night before.

Kagome looked around a bit before returning her gaze to the two boys. "What are you doing out here?" Her voice was curious and concerned all at the same time. Shippou didn't miss the quick sweep she made with her eyes as she looked Inumaru over for any injuries.

Kagome is still shaken over last night… Sudden anger swept through the tiny Kit and he glared in Inuyasha's general direction. Inuyasha no baka! Always doing stupid stuff and making Kagome even more hurt. Shippou's attention was brought back to the present when Kagome took a step closer looking around again. "… and where is Inuya—" 

Kagome's voice was silenced as Inuyasha burst through the bushes with a growl and landed in a crouch before Shippou and Inumaru.

"Feh, that's it you bastards!" Inuyasha snarled as he rose to his feet, flexing and cracking his knuckles as he did so. Shippou's stomach bottomed out in fear and he backed away preparing to call out to his one and only savior, Kagome, but froze when he hear the girl's gurgled gasp.

The small sound brought everyone's attention to the girl from the future, her brown eyes wide, her expression blank. Shippou was a little confused as to why Kagome looked so shocked, and out of pure habit looked to Inuyasha for advice. The Hanyou looked just as confused and merely shrugged his shoulders. Shippou didn't notice that Inuyasha was still very much naked and that Kagome had a clear view of Inuyasha's well-built body but after a nicely placed chill breeze the Hanyou did.

Shippou scratched his head and looked to Inumaru, but the kid was trying to keep from laughing and ruining the humorous interlude.

"Kagome-chan? Have you found them?" The taboo of silence was shattered at Sango's loud voice, very close to where they all stood.

The reaction was immediate, both Kagome and Inuyasha jumped back turning a lovely hue of cherry red. Shippou snorted back a laugh as Kagome opened her mouth drawing in a deep breath.

"Oh shit!" Inumaru squeaked out as he quickly threw himself to the forest floor knowing what was coming.

"Osuwari!" The loud crash fallowing her exit shook the leaves loose from the trees to drift listlessly around the group. Shippou fell onto his back his hands pressed desperately over his mouth to stop his laughter. He wasn't stupid enough to push it with Inuyasha as mad as he probably was at the moment. Oh, no, he would save the teasing for a later date, when Kagome was close by.

"Ka—Kagome… You…" Inuyasha struggled to lift his head from the forest floor his left eye twitching slightly as he watched the empty space the teen had once stood in.

A deep sense of pain and anger burned in his chest as he dug his claws deep into the soil of the earth beneath him. It wasn't like she hadn't seen him naked before, and it also wasn't the first time she'd struck out at him for seeing him naked.

Inuyasha was still deeply growling under his breath when the sound of hushed laugher reached his sensitive ears. A single white tufted ear flicked into the direction the sound came from before he turned to glare at the small pup flatted just to his side.

"And just what is so funny, runt?" Inuyasha growled as Inumaru continued to grin at the white haired boy showing off all of his tiny teeth.

Inuyasha's ears folded back against his head and a growl escaped his throat, Shippou stepped back a bit knowing that usually meant his head was the hanyou's next target.

"You are dead you tiny bastard…"

Shippou swallowed hard and looked at the pup in danger and nearly fell over as the kid grinned even wider and then lifted his middle finger in Inuyasha's direction.

"Keh! Try it."

Shippou slapped a hand to his forehead and shook it at the boy's stupidity.

_Better get Kagome back before Inuyasha can move again…_

"Inumaru! Inumaru, Shippou, be careful up there!" Kagome's voice rang through the forest as the teenage girl continued to call up to the boys who had volunteered to scout out a path by climbing up a tree.

Inuyasha stood next to the girl with a scowl on his face, still hurt from the incident earlier that morning. "What are you yelling about, baka? They're just fine stop screeching like some stupid crow and pipe down."

Kagome's fists clenched and shook at her sides, and red flushed her face, as her anger grew with each passing second. Her dark hair cascaded down and around her face like a veil, her bangs shielding her eyes from Inuyasha's.

Inuyasha watched the all too familiar sequence of events with an alarming sense of glee, although it meant his ultimate death in the end of all of it. Death by "Sit" it was the most painful way to go, and yet that stupid Hanyou was grinning about it.

_Keh. Flip me off, well paybacks one hell of a bastard, pup… _

Inuyasha's grin widened just picturing the little run careening out of the tree and onto the floor. The fall wouldn't kill the runt, but it was sure to leave one hell of an impression.

He hadn't understood the hand gesture at first but after asking Kagome about it in privet, several miles back at a rest stop he'd called for a "demon scent" he'd caught, (for which he ended up blaming on Inumaru), Inuyasha had decided that the punk had it coming to him, and he intended to deal it to him.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome practically growled out, and Inuyasha shuddered from the sound, not quite sure if it was from fear of her command, or whether it was due to the fact that she just _growled _at him.

"What now, wench?" Inuyasha snapped back, knowing full well that attitude would cost him dearly at this point. He forced his body to relax knowing it would hurt less if he fell to the ground relaxed then if he was tensed up, a lesson he'd learned through experience, and closed his eyes to wait for the usual painful command.

Nothing came.

Inuyasha opened a single tawny eye and looked in the girl's direction only to find her giving him a withering look her arms crossed over her chest. "I know what you're trying." Kagome tossed her head, her dark hair flying over her shoulder at the action and she looked away stepping over to Sango's side. "Besides, I don't want to her Inumaru."

Inuyasha blinked, his jaw snapping loose to gape after her.

_What! She… ah… _

Inuyasha growled, his shoulders tensing up at the sound of the monks muffled laughter from behind him. "Keh! What are you getting at wench!" Inuyasha snapped at Kagome's retreating back. The girl didn't even bother to answer him, just gave him a bored look from over her shoulder turning back to the Youkai Taiji.

"Looks like your little jealousy issue has been noted." Miroku said from Inuyasha's side.

"What did you say?" Inuyasha said, turning his aggravation on the nearest person, and Miroku stared back at him, lifting his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

"Just that you may want to re-think your planning when using Kagome's power against your son—"

"That brat is not my Pup damn it! He's—" Inuyasha cut himself off as a stray breeze rushed passed his sensitive nose bringing with it a familiar scent, and he spun, hand flying to Tetsuiaga's hilt.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku's voice was slightly worried and it drew the attention of the girl's back to them just as the figure stepped through the trees, his tall frame framed by the dark emerald of the leaves.

Kagome let out a breath, stepping back enough so that Inuyasha could grab her arm and yank her behind him, his ears laying flat in challenge.

"Sesshoumaru."

The taller demon looked down his nose at Inuyasha with an indifferent glare. From the way he glared one could clearly tell that he had not intended to run into them, but all the same, Inuyasha took his battle stance baring his teeth at his brother.

"Inuyasha, I did not come for a fight, but if you insist on one, I have no problem with defeating you again."

Inuyasha tensed and gave a harsh bark of laughter, "Yeah, right, let's just see who wins this shall we?"

Inuyasha jumped as Kagome's hand reached up to grip his shoulder with a nervous shake, her breathy voice tickling his ear and instilling a sudden fear in his heart. "Inumaru…"

_Shit! _

Inuyasha straightened slightly, and Sesshoumaru gave him a questioning look. "What is it, Inuyasha?"

"Nothing."

_Don't come down pup… _

The wide expanse of green seemed to trail on forever and the brightly colored wings of the butterflies that swarmed around the two little children painted the sky with vibrant colors.

Inumaru grinned widely, looking about him with a great sense of joy swelling inside of his chest.

"It just goes on forever!" Inumaru gasped and felt Shippou chuckle beside him.

"You act as if you've never climbed up a tree before."

Inumaru turned to face the small kit with a sheepish smile, unsure of how to word his next sentence, and the Kitsune sobered to look at him worriedly. "You have climbed trees before right?"

"Yeah, I've climbed them… it's just… usually I'm with my Papa, and, well, we never traveled this deep into the woods. Mom, was always afraid that… something would call us away and we'd never return." Inumaru said looking around once more.

He could feel Shippou's stare burning holes into his scull, and he closed his eyes smiling widely. "Besides, I don't think butterflies would stick around if Papa were tearing through."

A silence fell between them for a while, and Inumaru enjoyed the momentary bliss as the dancing butterflies floated around him.

"See anything?" Shippou asked and Inumaru blinked, confused.

"Huh?"

"You said that you could see jewel shards!" Shippou accused and Inumaru gave him an annoyed look.

"Feh, of course I can, I got my mom's eye sight you know!"

The fox child lifted his paws into the air shaking his red head with a sigh, "Then do you see any shards?"

"Oh. Right." Inumaru quickly scanned the area again, a light flush coloring his face. Shippou laughed.

"You sure are a lot like Inuyasha."

"Feh!" Inumaru huffed turning his face away to hide his small smile. "… I don't see any."

"All right, looks like we're walking blindly forward then." Shippou said placing a leaf on his head and transforming into a giant pink bubble with stick arms and legs, hovering long enough for the small hanyou to jump onto his back.

Inumaru bounced slightly when he landed and laughed, flopping onto his side. "Hey! Knock it off! You'll fall, and you're not exactly light you know!"

"I'm lighter than papa's fat ass!" Inumaru snickered and this time, Shippou joined in his humor as they began to descend toward the ground.

Inumaru arranged himself so that he was seated comfortably on Shippou's head, his eyes becoming distant.

"Hey, Shippou?"

"Nani?"

Inumaru paused biting his lip and Shippou's large eyes rolled up to look at him. "Inumaru? What is it?"

"Am I… am I really like Papa?" To his question, Shippou laughed, and Inumaru pouted, his brows lowering in a scowl as his good ear cocked back against his head.

"Are you kidding! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you were from the past and were Inuyasha himself!"

Inumaru smiled widely, sitting up straighter at his answer and breathed in deeply, basking in the glory of the moment.

"Uh-oh." Shippou said suddenly stopping in the air. Inumaru crawled forward to look over the edge of Shippou curiously.

"What is it?" His eyes fell below him catching sight of the problem before Shippou could even respond, and his eyes lit up happily.

"Uncle Sessho!" Inumaru cried out, getting to his feet and jumping off of his friend.

"Inumaru! Wait no! He's not how you think!" Shippou cried piteously after him, and Inumaru all but ignored him as he dived straight down and on to the regal demon's back his arms locking onto his shoulders in a bear hug. "Uncle Sessho!"

Inumaru buried his face into the soft cloth of his uncle's haiori, breathing him in, he missed the familiar scent and felt tears sting the backs of his eyes as he grinned gripping close to the man who owned but one arm. "I missed you so much!" He clung to the clothes, a part of him knowing that Sesshoumaru did not know who he was, and the other part fiercely ignoring that rational side, needing the comfort of familiarity.

"Inumaru!" Kagome's panicked voice made Inumaru squeeze tighter to the man, her fear somehow ruining the image he was trying to build.

_No, this is uncle Sessho! I won't let go!_

"You damn brat!" Inuyasha's grating growl made Inumaru's insides tense and he lifted his head and stuck out his tongue at the teenager. Inuyasha looked shocked for a moment before his white ears laid back and he scowled openly.

"Bite me, fleabag!" Inumaru said, trying not to flush at his crude language. If his Mother had been there to hear that, he wouldn't have been able to sit for a week, but the reaction he received from his young father was well worth it.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped in shock and he gaped openly at him. Looking quiet silly, Inumaru giggled knowing what his uncle would say before he'd say it.

"You look stupider then normal, Inuyasha!" Inumaru taunted, his voice a near perfect mimic of the hanyou's conceited brother. Kagome blinked in shock as she watched the small boy stick his nose in the air and look down it at Inuyasha.

_He looks… just like him… _

Kagome smiled a bit, finding the smallest hint of humor in the whole scenario. Her eyes hovered over the boy, unconsciously stepping forward, ready to strike out at Sesshoumaru if the demon dared to try and hurt the boy.

For the most part, Sesshoumaru seemed bored and slightly confused as he glanced lazily over his shoulder at Inumaru, his eyes then dragging back to Inuyasha, who had forgotten his brother's existence in favor of arguing with his future son (whom was currently kicking his ass in the verbal brawl), and then his eyes shifted back to Inumaru.

Kagome wondered why he hadn't tried to attack Inumaru, and her mind recalled the small girl that seemed to follow Sesshoumaru.

_I wonder if he has a weakness for children? And if he does… why didn't he have one for Inuyasha? _

Kagome's pondering came to an abrupt end, when she realized that Sesshoumaru's golden gaze had settled upon her with a tired glare. Kagome swallowed stepping back slightly but held firm as her eyes darted to Inumaru.

Kagome squared her shoulders and moved back to her previous position with a glare of her own.

Sesshoumaru's gaze moved back to the squabbling pare and he closed his eyes with a sigh. "Finally."

Silence.

Kagome felt her shock give way to hot embarrassment at the implications that Sesshoumaru was hinting at. Miroku chuckled from her right, and her hot face burned brighter. "Wh—what do you mean!" Kagome choked out glaring to cover up her embarrassment.

_I'm a girl from the Twentieth Century, not some simpering girl from the Sengoku Jidai! _

Kagome squared her shoulders, placing her hands on her hips and facing off against Inuyasha's brother. Her insides clenched slightly, Sesshoumaru was no easy fight, but she couldn't back away from him. Her woman's pride and Inumaru's safety rested on it.

Kagome had not noticed that Inuyasha had gone silent and now stared at her with an embarrassed look. She figured he would lecture her on being reckless again, but she could deal with that.

Kagome was slightly surprised when Sesshoumaru answered her question, though, and blinked startled at his reasoning.

"I figured my brother would take a human woman for his mate… I'm simply surprised he had the balls to get on with it so quickly. Though it comes as no real surprise."

He said it so calmly, so matter-o-fact, that Kagome's mouth fell open as her face heated to make her look like a cherry tomato. She could hear Miroku break into hysterical fits behind her and she glanced at Inuyasha, who also shared her red faced appearance, and Kagome quickly turned away.

_He thinks that we… we…_

Kagome's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and she let out a strangled cry.

_He thinks that I had sex with Inuyasha!_

Inuyasha had opened his mouth, finally regaining his usual temper, and was ready to start another verbal fight when Kagome cut him off with a quick denial, more meant for the sake of societies sense of morals than for her own dislike of the idea.

"No! It's not like that! Inumaru's from the future, he isn't Inuyasha's… and.. and… my.. my— I'm not his mother!"

Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow, scanning the faces around him with mild disinterest. His brother's human girl seemed flustered and a bit upset by her own confession, it was easily readable on her face that, although she was not the pup's mother, she wished it was, and from the look his baka brother was giving her, Inuyasha was more than a little put out that she had so quickly denied having a physical relationship with him.

_They are so simple minded it's insulting. _

Sesshoumaru sighed. Had things been different, he wouldn't have bothered with the pleasantries and simply beaten his brother to a bloodied pulp and left but as things were, he could no do so. Rin was only a few yards away; he could not chance her safety because his baka brother had unexpectedly shown up.

Not to mention the appearance of the spawn that was currently resting on his back was interesting to say the least. Sesshoumaru tried not to notice how the pup cuddled against him lovingly, and ignored the remembered pain of a similar embrace.

"Well, it could be! We don't know who his mother is, the brat won't tell us, not that it's any of your business anyway." Inuyasha said haughtily and Sesshoumaru repressed an annoyed sigh at the hanyou's lack of tact and simple stupidity. It was an insult to his entire lineage to be related to the moron.

"Doesn't matter anyway."

Inuyasha glared at his response and Sesshoumaru would have continued the, 'oh so witty banter' with the buffoon, had Inuyasha's offspring not spoken up from over his shoulder at that moment.

"Thankfully, I received Moma's brains." The pup's comment seemed to irk Inuyasha more than Sesshoumaru's own comment, and again he found himself raising an eyebrow at the runt in slight amusement.

At Inuyasha's growl, the pup grinned, flashing dull canines evilly, "Like I'd tell you who Moma is so you won't get together, and I won't be born. What do I look like, a baka like you?"

"Feh! Just you wait punk…"

_Wasting his time, arguing with his own pup…_

Sesshoumaru was quickly tiring of the stupidity of those that surrounded him and reached up to remove the child from his back and blinked in surprise when he found that he couldn't get a good grip on the brat.

Sesshoumaru twisted his arm back and behind him to try and reach the boys ankle, but with a childish giggle, the little imp curled up tighter, his foot just out of reach.

_Damn it… is this taught or are hanyous simply born with this innate power to annoy?_

"Heh. Give it up Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha laughed to his side and Sesshoumaru shot him a glare. "I've tried everything, he'll get off when he's ready to."

_He's enjoying this isn't he?_

Sesshoumaru debated on weather to transform or not, but Rin's nearness to danger held him still, he was stuck until the kid left of his own accord.

In the end it was Inuyasha's woman who saved him, much to Sesshoumaru's chartagin. The dark haired woman walked up to him and over to the growth on his back, her arm lifting up to scratch the boy behind his one good ear, Sesshoumaru noticed the damaged one with a bit of anger.

_What had been done to the pup?_

He let the question slide as the boy's grip slackened and he tumbled from his back and into the girl's arms. Sesshoumaru watched with a still face as the woman turned and passed by Inuyasha with a shake of her head. "C'mon, Sango, I need a bath, lets set up camp."

The demon exterminator seemed just as confused as Inuyasha was, but followed her anyway and Sesshoumaru had a feeling that the miko knew that he could not attack Inuyasha at this time.

_She isn't stupid… emotional and reckless… but not stupid…_

Sesshoumaru regarded her for several minutes before turning to his brother once more. The hanyou was yelling at the rest of his pack as they left him behind.

"Some friends you are! Leaving me to face him alone, you cowards!"

"But Inuyasha, you never let us fight anyway." The monk replied turning back around.

"Oh, Inuyasha, we believe you can do it." The miko said with a saucy grin and Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes as Inuyasha jumped back away from her wink with a blush.

"W..what!"

_I'll find another road to take…nothing is worth putting up with this insanity…_

The joyous laughter that drifted from behind the bushes where the two girls bathed, the small children playing in the water by their sides, splashing and diving beneath the surface of the steaming water in a game they made on their own and with their own rules.

"Kagome, how did you know that scratching Inumaru's ear would work?" Sango asked and the girl from the well smiled broadly.

"Well, I once did it on Inuyasha when he was carrying me on his back. It was before Miroku had joined us. My bike had been lost in the woods and he was yelling at me for making him help me find it so I tried to get him to shut up by scratching his ear, it usually works on dogs in my time so I hoped his Inu-youkai side would react the same." She paused for a moment and Sango leaned in closer.

"What happened?"

"Inuyasha forgot to jump and we crashed into a tree."

The laughter that followed made Inuyasha's ears lay back and he crouched lower to the ground remembering that incident clearly and with more that a little aggravation.

_It's not funny wench…and I'm not a fucking dog!_

Inuyasha kept from growling and giving away his position inside the bushes. He wasn't sure why he was even there, but he was angry and felt like taking it out on the brat, but the little pup was in the water having a grand old time.

_Yeah, just laugh it off punk… I'll teach you to touch tetsuaiga…_

Inuyasha was still angered by the occurrence that had taken place moments before he'd stormed into the camp ready to skin each and everyone of his so called friends alive for leaving him alone.

Miroku's explanation that Kagome had figured that, if Sesshoumaru had intended on fighting, he would have done it by then, had not lessoned his anger in the least.

_No shit he wasn't interested in fighting… the fucker just wanted to make fun of me!_

Inuyasha tensed, his mind recalling the horrid conversation with his brother, and he shuddered, involuntarily.

_Inuyasha turned back to his brother, betrayed anger bubbling up inside of him. He just couldn't believe that Kagome had left him to fight alone. He let out an angered breath and readied himself to fight his brother, his hand dropping to his side._

_ "Prepare to loose Sessho—" Inuyasha's eyes widened when he hand met nothing but air. Glancing down at his hip, Inuyasha was horrified to realize Tetsuaiga was no longer there. Fear crawled up his throat as he turned accusing eyes on the taller demon before him, wondering how Sesshoumaru could have gotten his father's fang with out him knowing it._

_ Sesshoumaru gave him a disgusted look, his eyes traveling over Inuyasha's shoulder to rest on something behind him. _

_ Inuyasha turned slowly, not trusting his brother enough not to expect a trap. As he glanced back a sort of shocked anger filled him when he found his beloved sword held tightly in the pup's grasp as the brat grinned at him from over Kagome's shoulder._

_ Inumaru stuck out his tongue and wagged the sword at him mockingly. Inuyasha growled, his shoulders tensing, ready to give chase and pummel the smirk right out of that brats hide._

_ "She's near her heat period." The comment made Inuyasha swing around, scalded by the words his brother spoke. Jealously and rage mingling deep inside._

"Fuck off!" Inuyasha yelled, baring his teeth his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Sesshoumaru all but ignored him, his eyes continuously fallowing Kagome's form.

_"Doesn't that maternal warmth coming from that human woman of yours, make her more appealing?" Sesshoumaru asked and Inuyasha lost it. He jumped forward to hit him, but Sesshoumaru casually stepped aside and Inuyasha ran head long into a tree_. _He swung back around harshly, eyes flashing dangerously._

_"Keep your fucking eyes on your opponent!" Inuyasha reached for his sword again only to be reminded of its absence and growled readying his hands, praying that he wouldn't loose control._

Damn brat… has no consideration for my well being…

_ "What's the matter, Inuyasha? Jealous of a stupid human wench?" _

_ Inuyasha charged again, his claws arching down in a slashing motion and found himself pinned painfully to the ground as Sesshoumaru whispered into his ear. "Or is it fear that you're nothing but a prize to be won for playing mother to your pup." _

_ The truth of his own fears rang in his mind and Inuyasha struggled cussing at the demon above him and was surprised when Sesshoumaru stood and walked off the way he'd come. _

_ Inuyasha glared after him, too angered and worried to say anymore, doubt of Kagome's intentions settling deep in his gut._

"Fucking bastard…" Inuyasha muttered under his breath and realized a moment too late, his mistake.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's angered voice burned his ears and Inuyasha jumped to his feet to run, noticing the grinning face of the pup as the girl covered her chest sucking in a deep breath.

Inumaru's humor soon turned to terror as he looked down at the water around him and then began to bolt for the shore, but he was too slow as the command came from the girl's mouth.

"SIT!"

The last thing Inuyasha saw before his face was permanently filled with dirt was the image of the brat falling into the water. Inuyasha laughed to himself at the sound of the water splashing.

Serves you right brat! 

His humor dried up as Kagome cried out rushing to the boy's side. "Oh, Inumaru, I'm sorry!" He heard her lift the pup out of the water and carry him to the shore apologizing the whole way.

Inuyasha lay still on the ground, long after the spell had worn off, his blood cold in his veins, his brother's words echoing in his mind.

_"Doesn't that maternal warmth coming from that human woman of yours, make her more appealing?"_

Inuyasha sat up to look at the quickly fading moon, his heart heavy with nameless fears.

Kagome wouldn't use me like that!… would she? 

The wind was harsh and cold, whistling in the night giving no comfort to the unspoken fears of Inuyasha's broken heart.

A.N. okay first off, I am very sorry it took so long to finish this chapter. I'm sorry if the end seems rushed or if Sesshoumaru is out of character, I finished this with out really being in the mood to write Inuyasha so sorry. For anyone who cares to know my reasons for the long update here they are:

**I usually typed every Friday night on this story but I found my BEST friend was moving in less than two months. She hadn't wanted me to worry so didn't tell me until then, so I was mad at her for a while and then stopped writing so that I could spend as much time with her as I could. She moved in June of last year and to live through the depression I got myself a job for the summer babysitting two boys from six in the morning to seven at night to keep myself busy. After that senior year started and I finished my Novel (at least the rough draft) titled, "A Secret's Unknown Price". It's 233 pages so far and my teacher is helping me edit it so if I ever get published look for it by the author of Lessa Okkerse. - well, anyways… I also got my first boyfriend this year and then we broke up just after spring break, and somewhere in the middle I watched the end to the anime of Inuyasha and got really pissed at the shitty ending and also found Chrno Crusade which is my current obsession right now. So sorry for the long wait, and I do not intend to make you wait another year for the next update. Please review if you aren't too angry with me and se you next chapter!**

**Lechan**


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